ManitobaThe Manitoba Legislature is slated to vote Tuesday on a package of fines the provincial ethics commissioner recommended elected officials impose on former premier Heather Stefanson and two members of her Progressive Conservative cabinet.Heather Stefanson faces $18K penalty for role in trying to push Sio Silica licence approvalBartley Kives · CBC News · Posted: Oct 06, 2025 9:57 PM EDT | Last Updated: 4 hours agoFormer PC deputy premier Cliff Cullen, former premier Heather Stefanson and former economic development minister Jeff Wharton faces a leguislature vote Tuesday on fines recommended by Manitoba’s ethics commissioner. (CBC News)The Manitoba Legislature is slated to vote Tuesday on a package of fines the provincial ethics commissioner recommended elected officials impose on former premier Heather Stefanson and two members of her Progressive Conservative cabinet.In May, ethics commissioner Jeffrey Schnoor ruled Stefanson, former deputy premier Cliff Cullen and former economic development minister Jeff Wharton violated the province’s conflict-of-interest legislation and should be fined over their efforts to see the province approve a sand-extraction licence for Alberta mining company Sio Silica.In a 100-page report, Schnoor said Stefanson, Cullen and Wharton violated Manitoba’s Conflict of Interest Act by pushing for the licence approval after the Tories lost the Oct. 3, 2023, election to the NDP.Schnoor wrote their actions also contravened the caretaker convention, a long-standing parliamentary principle that forbids outgoing governments from making major decisions before the incoming government assumes power.While there was no evidence that the three politicians would have had any financial gain had the project gone ahead, their actions amounted to improperly furthering the interests of other people, Schnoor wrote.He recommended fines of $18,000 for Stefanson, $12,000 for Cullen and $10,000 for Wharton, who continues to serve as a PC MLA for Red River North.The legislative assembly ultimately determines whether the fines will be imposed — and Tuesday is the deadline for a vote on the fines to take place.Over the past week, both the PCs and NDP have taken turns blaming each other for delaying the vote on the fines. PC Leader Obby Khan argued the NDP could have forced the debate prior to the summer legislative break, while Premier Wab Kinew argued the PCs used procedure to delay the vote once MLAs began sitting again.The partisan bickering continued Monday. The NDP used a series of repetitive ministerial statements in the legislative chamber in an effort to paint the PCs as corrupt. Education Minister Tracy Schmidt even sought sought leave to summon Stefanson to the Manitoba Legislature to speak about her role in the Sio Silica affair.Speaker Tom Lindsey quickly ruled Schmidt’s request out of order.The Opposition PCS, meanwhile suggested the NDP was trying to draw out the debate in order to use Schnoor’s findings as a cudgel against them.”We accept the findings. The member from Red River North accepts the findings,” said Khan, adding Wharton intends to pay his fine out of pocket if it gets imposed. “Let’s move forward.”Now that the time has run out for further political theatre, both parties are preparing for a vote that could run into Tuesday evening.”At this point, I’m preparing to make sure that our members have supper and preparing that our members know that should they need arrangement for child care, to do so,” said Nahanni Fontaine, government house leader for the NDP.
Manitoba Legislature to vote Tuesday on fines against former premier, 2 ministers
