Liberal’s letter to the CRTC was ‘improper’

OTTAWA – The federal ethics commissioner says it was improper for Liberal MP Kate Young, as a parliamentary secretary, to support a television station’s licence renewal application. Mary Dawson has ruled the Ontario MP’s Aug. 3 letter to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission on behalf of the CTV station in her London riding ran afoul of the Conflict of Interest Act. Dawson on Thursday ordered Young to refrain from writing such letters without first seeking approval from her office. Dawson issued a guideline in October 2013 saying cabinet ministers and parliamentary secretaries “may not under any circumstances” intervene in the decision-making process of an administrative tribunal, such as the CRTC, on behalf of any constituent in any riding.