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editorial

Canada's rookie conflict of interest and ethics commissioner bolted out of the starting gate last week, when he outlined a series of new powers he believes would make his office a more effective watchdog.

Among Mario Dion's suggestions: putting publicity bans on MPs who file complaints, and perhaps extending the bans to media to prevent leaks; suspending violators from Parliament; and raising fines into the thousands of dollars.

Mr. Dion, who has been in the job a month, stressed that these were just ideas, something for Parliament to consider. But given that they come in the wake of ethics scandals involving Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Bill Morneau, one gets the sense the new commissioner believes he is playing to a receptive audience in Ottawa.

That is unlikely to be the case. While there may be a public appetite for tougher sanctions, it is hard to imagine that the politicians who create the rules want to change them.

It is in the interests of both government and opposition MPs to maintain a system whose only real power is to name and shame those who commit violations – things like accepting free holidays from a wealthy religious leader whom you claim is a friend, as Mr. Trudeau tried and failed to do, or doing as Mr. Morneau did and using a loophole to get out of selling off your assets or putting them in a blind trust.

The things Mr. Dion suggests need to be changed are, in fact, what make the conflict-of-interest rules palatable to MPs. Opposition MPs who write to the commissioner asking him to investigate a cabinet minister or the PM can release the letter to the press and make a splash. The alleged rule-breakers know they risk only a week or two of bad headlines and, at worst, a maximum $500 fine. And both sides know that one day they may be in each others' shoes.

Mr. Dion did make two good suggestions: getting rid of the friends excuse that Mr. Trudeau lamely used; and making it explicit that controlled assets can't be held in private corporations, Mr. Morneau's weak gambit.

But Mr. Dion's other ideas are unlikely to fly. And that's okay. The vast majority of MPs work with the commissioner to disclose their assets and the gifts they receive in a timely fashion. Naming and shaming is a reasonable sanction for minor violations; should someone commit an egregious breach of trust, the criminal justice system awaits. There is no urgent need to turn a watchdog into a powerful court of its own, in spite of the Liberals' dismal performance last year.

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