Mario Dion
{{short description|Canadian public servant|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2019}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=March 2019}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Mario Dion
| birth_place = Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| birth_date = 1956
| occupation = Civil servant, lawyer
| office = 2nd Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner of Canada
| termstart = January 9, 2018
| termend = February 21, 2023
| predecessor = Mary Dawson
| successor = Martine Richard (interim)
| office2 = 2nd Public Sector Integrity Commissioner
| term_start2 = 2011
| term_end2 = 2014
| predecessor2 = Christiane Ouimet
| successor2 = Joe Friday
}}
Mario Dion (born {{circa}} 1956) is a Canadian public servant who served as the second conflict of interest and ethics commissioner of Canada. He was appointed on January 9, 2018, succeeding Mary Dawson to a seven-year term.{{Cite news |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/new-ethics-commissioner-mario-dion-promises-to-be-fearless/article37587626/ |title=New Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion promises to be 'fearless' |work=The Globe and Mail |first=Laura |last=Stone |date=January 11, 2018 |access-date=February 12, 2019}} In February 2023, he resigned due to persistent health issues.
Early life and education
Dion was born in Montreal. In 1979, Dion received a law degree from the University of Ottawa.{{Cite web |url=https://www.canada.ca/en/leader-government-house-commons/news/2017/12/biography_mario_dion.html |title=Biography – Mario Dion |date=December 11, 2017 |access-date=March 5, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306005536/https://www.canada.ca/en/leader-government-house-commons/news/2017/12/biography_mario_dion.html |archive-date=March 6, 2019}}
Career
Dion began his legal career as a legal advisor in the Department of the Solicitor General (now Public Safety Canada) in 1980. In 1988, he was appointed an assistant deputy minister at Corrections Canada. He moved on to serve in the Department of Justice, in an assistant deputy minister, then associate deputy minister position. Dion also served in the Privy Council Office as deputy clerk and counsel from 1996 to 1997, and at the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs in 2003. Dion served as chair of the National Parole Board from 2006 to 2009, commissioner of public sector integrity from 2011 to 2014, and chair of the Immigration and Refugee Board from 2015 to 2018.{{Cite web |url=http://ciec-ccie.parl.gc.ca/EN/AboutUs/WhoWeAre/Pages/MeetTheCommissioner.aspx |title=Meet the Commissioner |website=ciec-ccie.parl.gc.ca |date=March 12, 2018 |access-date=February 12, 2019}}
= Public Sector Integrity Commissioner =
In 2014, Michael Ferguson, Canada's former auditor general, publicly rebuked Dion's performance as the public sector integrity commissioner of Canada, an office that is supposed to protect public servants who blow the whistle on wrongdoing within the federal government. Dion was appointed commissioner by the Harper government after the previous commissioner resigned amid complaints about the office.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/audit-finds-gross-mismanagement-in-two-integrity-watchdog-cases-1.2611066|title=Audit finds 'gross mismanagement' in two integrity watchdog cases|date=April 15, 2014|website=CBC|language=en|access-date=2019-03-06}}
= Ethics Commissioner =
On December 11, 2017, Bardish Chagger, the leader of the Government in the House of Commons, announced the nomination of Dion as ethics commissioner, succeeding Mary Dawson.{{Cite press release |url=https://www.canada.ca/en/leader-government-house-commons/news/2017/12/minister_chaggernominatesnextconflictofinterestandethicscommissi.html |title=Minister Chagger nominates next Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner |date=December 11, 2017}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/liberals-nominate-mario-dion-as-next-ethics-commissioner/article37291699/ |title=Liberals nominate Mario Dion as next ethics commissioner |publisher=The Globe and Mail |agency=The Canadian Press |date=December 11, 2017 |access-date=March 5, 2017}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2017/12/11/mario-dion-chair-of-immigration-and-refugee-board-tapped-by-liberals-to-be-next-ethics-commissioner_a_23304031/ |title=Mario Dion, Chair Of Immigration And Refugee Board, Tapped By Liberals To Be Next Ethics Commissioner |work=HuffPost |date=December 11, 2017 |access-date=March 5, 2019}} He assumed the role on January 9, 2018.{{Cite news |url=https://ipolitics.ca/2018/02/13/ethics-watchdog-insists-cbc-interview-never-recommended-media-ban/ |title=Ethics watchdog insists in CBC interview he 'never recommended' media ban |first=Beatrice |last=Britneff |work=iPolitics |date=February 13, 2018 |access-date=March 5, 2019}} Dion's rapid last-minute appointment by the Liberal Party was criticized for its secrecy.{{cite web|url=https://ipolitics.ca/2017/12/13/ethics-watchdog-selection-process-mess-thats-not-dions-fault/|title=The ethics watchdog selection process is a mess — but that's not Dion's fault|first=Kady|last=O'Malley|date=December 13, 2017|publisher=}}{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2017/12/13/liberals-ignore-concerns-about-secrecy-and-officially-appoint-new-ethics-watchdog_a_23306625/|title=Liberals Ignore Secrecy Concerns And Vote In New Ethics Watchdog For All MPs|date=December 13, 2017|website=HuffPost Canada}}{{cite web|url=https://torontosun.com/news/national/advocacy-group-threatens-legal-action-over-liberals-ethics-commissioner-pick|title=Advocacy group threatens legal action over Liberals' ethics commissioner pick|date=December 14, 2017}}[https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/liberals-acted-unethical-in-secretive-appointment-of-new-ethics-commissioner-opposition-says Liberals were unethical in secretive appointment of new ethics commissioner, opposition says]
As commissioner, Dion is responsible for administering the Conflict of Interest Act and the Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of Commons.
== SNC-Lavalin affair ==
On February 11, 2019,{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ethics-commissioner-pmo-snc-lavalin-1.5014435|title=Trudeau says he has 'confidence' in Wilson-Raybould as ethics commissioner probes PMO over SNC-Lavalin |date=February 11, 2019|first=John Paul |last=Tasker |website=CBC|language=en|access-date=2019-03-12}} Dion's office announced that it would investigate allegations of political interference and obstruction of justice by personnel in the Prime Minister's Office (dubbed the "SNC-Lavalin affair"), who allegedly attempted to pressure Jody Wilson-Raybould, the then minister of justice and attorney general, to intervene in an ongoing criminal prosecution case against construction firm SNC-Lavalin by granting them a deferred prosecution agreement.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-pmo-pressed-justice-minister-to-abandon-prosecution-of-snc-lavalin/|title=PMO pressed Wilson-Raybould to abandon prosecution of SNC-Lavalin; Trudeau denies his office 'directed' her|access-date=2019-03-12}}
In a letter to opposition New Democratic members of Parliament Charlie Angus and Nathan Cullen, Dion stated that he believed section 9 of the Conflict of Interest Act, which he stated "prohibits a public office holder from seeking to influence a decision of another person so as to improperly further another person’s private interests,"{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/CBCAlerts/status/1095027674207211526|title=Letter from Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion confirming the investigation is here:pic.twitter.com/ikf1sw6wTA|date=2019-02-11|website=@CBCAlerts|language=en|access-date=2019-03-12}} had been breached, granting him the authority to investigate the matter.{{Cite web|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/will-the-ethics-commissioner-investigation-into-the-snc-lavalin-affair-get-any-answers|title=Will the ethics commissioner investigation into the SNC-Lavalin affair get any answers?|website=National Post|date=2019-03-01|language=en-CA|access-date=2019-03-12}}
== We Charity affair ==
In 2021, he blamed Morneau but exonerated Trudeau{{Cite web|last=Aiello|first=Rachel|date=2021-05-13|title=PM Trudeau cleared, but Morneau broke ethics law over WE Charity contract: Dion|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/pm-trudeau-cleared-but-morneau-broke-ethics-law-over-we-charity-contract-dion-1.5426278|access-date=2021-06-13|website=CTVNews|language=en}} in the WE Charity scandal where Margaret Trudeau was employed by this organisation{{Cite web|last=McGregor|first=Janyce|date=July 9, 2020|title=PM's mother Margaret and brother Alexandre were both paid to speak at WE Charity events|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/margaret-justin-trudeau-we-charity-1.5643586|access-date=2021-06-13|website=CBC}} but Trudeau had recused himself from the commission.
== Leave of absence ==
On March 12, 2019, Dion announced that he will take a "prolonged" absence from his role as the government's conflict of interest watchdog, due to "medical reasons."{{Cite web|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/ethics-commissioner-mario-dion-stepping-away-from-office-for-medical-reasons-1.4333074|title=Ethics commissioner Mario Dion stepping away from office for medical reasons |website=ctvnews.ca|access-date=2019-03-12|date=March 12, 2019}} His office's work continued in his absence, and he returned to work in April 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/5208642/ethics-commissioner-mario-dion-returns/|title=Mario Dion, Canada's ethics commissioner, is back on the job after medical leave|first=Jessica|last=Vomiero|publisher=Global News|date=April 26, 2019|access-date=July 19, 2020}}
== Retirement ==
On February 14, 2023, Dion announced that he would retire from his post, given persistent health issues.{{Cite news |first=Peter |last=Zimonjic |date=2023-02-14 |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/greg-fergus-mario-dion-guilty-1.6747767 |title=MP Greg Fergus becomes the latest Liberal caught violating ethics rules |work=CBC News |access-date=2023-02-14}} His last day in office was February 21, 2023. At the time of his resignation, he had two years left in his seven year term.{{Cite news |first=Ian |last=Bailey |date=2023-02-14 |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-federal-ethics-commissioner-mario-dion-quits/ |title=Federal ethics commissioner Mario Dion quits |work=The Globe and Mail |access-date=2023-03-30}}
References
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Category:Public Sector Integrity Commissioners of Canada
Category:20th-century Canadian civil servants