Integrity as a Strategic Asset
For public office holders, the line between private interests and public duties is governed by strict, often unforgiving, legal frameworks. In Canada, maintaining public confidence is not just about avoiding actual conflicts—it is about managing the appearance of conflict with absolute precision.
Lobium Law provides specialized counsel to current and former public office holders, as well as the businesses that employ them, to ensure compliance with federal and provincial integrity regimes. We help you navigate these complex rules so that your career and reputation remain unassailable.
Our Conflict of Interest Expertise
We provide comprehensive guidance on the federal Conflict of Interest Act and Ontario’s Members’ Integrity Act and Public Service of Ontario Act.
Compliance for Current Public Office Holders
The duty to arrange one’s private affairs to prevent conflict begins the moment an appointment is made. We assist with:
- Asset Divestment & Blind Trusts: Advising reporting public office holders on the divestment of “controlled assets” and the establishment of arm’s-length trusts.
- Recusal Strategies: Developing protocols for when to step back from discussions, debates, or votes to avoid “preferential treatment” allegations.
- Gifting & Benefits: Providing clear-cut advice on the disclosure thresholds and the strict prohibitions on gifts that could be seen to influence official duties.
Post-Employment & "Cooling-Off" Periods
The transition from the public sector to the private sector is a high-risk period for both the individual and their new employer. We provide:
- Cooling-Off Assessments: Navigating the one-year (or two-year for ex-Ministers) bans on contracting with or lobbying entities with which you had “direct and significant” dealings.
- “Switching Sides” Prohibitions: Ensuring former officials do not act for clients on specific proceedings or negotiations for which they previously advised the Crown.
- Employment Offer Reviews: Providing the mandatory seven-day disclosure support required when a reporting public office holder receives a firm offer of outside employment.
- Maintaining Confidentiality.
Compliance Training for Public Bodies
We help agencies, boards, and commissions build a culture of integrity through:
- Ethics Executive Support: Assisting Chairs and CEOs in their roles as “Ethics Executives” responsible for promoting ethical conduct within their organizations.
- Internal Audits: Reviewing internal conflict of interest policies to ensure they are at least equivalent to provincial or federal standards.
- In-House Training: Educating staff on the nuances of “insider information” and the risks of using government property for private gain.
Representation in Integrity Inquiries
If you are the subject of a complaint or a formal inquiry by the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, provincial integrity commissioner, or a municipal integrity commissioner, we offer:
- Response Management: Strategic counsel during the evidence-gathering and preliminary reporting phases.
- Administrative Defense: Representing your interests to ensure procedural fairness and to mitigate the risk of administrative monetary penalties.
The Lobium Advantage: Proactive Protection
Led by Alan Fraser, a lawyer with first-hand experience in the political arena, Lobium Law brings a unique perspective to ethics law.
Preventative Focus
Confidential Advice
Sector-Specific Context
Protect Your Reputation. Secure Your Legacy.
In the public sector, integrity is your only currency. Partner with Lobium Law to ensure your private interests never compromise your public service.