New Brunswick·NewThe interim leader of the New Brunswick Progressive Conservatives says the housing minister’s role as landlord of a Saint John based anti-homelessness group could spur questions of a conflict should the group be awarded provincial funding. Rules for MLAs do not deal with perceived conflicts of interestSilas Brown · CBC News · Posted: Nov 17, 2025 5:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 31 minutes agoListen to this articleEstimated 5 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.Housing Minister David Hickey was cleared by the integrity commissioner and says he’s been careful to avoid putting himself in conflict. (Alix Villeneuve/Radio-Canada)An accusation that New Brunswick’s housing minister is in a perceived conflict of interest has put the spotlight back on the rules governing lawmakers identified by past provincial watchdogs. Glen Savoie, the interim leader of New Brunswick’s Progressive Conservatives, says David Hickey’s role as landlord of a Saint John based anti-homelessness group could spur questions of a conflict should the group be awarded provincial funding. Interim PC Leader Glen Savoie backed away from saying Hickey was breaking the rules but noted there could be a perception of conflict inherent in the agreement. (Silas Brown/CBC)However, perceived or apparent conflicts of interest are not covered by the Members Conflict of Interest Act, despite repeated recommendations from past legislative officers to include them.Savoie said that Hickey was in a “real and perceived” conflict, but when pressed by reporters to identify how he thought Hickey was in violation of the act he said it was more of a perceived conflict.“By the simple fact that they are his tenant, they have an inside track towards money,” he said. “Perhaps there are other organizations that should get it.”“So it’s not necessarily about a benefit to the minister but the perception that monies are not going where they possibly should.”WATCH | What are the conflict of interest rules for MLAs?:PCs warn of perceived conflict of interest in Liberal cabinet Perceived conflicts of interest have never been covered by the law, but that hasn’t stopped action in past cases. CBC News previously reported that Hickey’s tenant-landlord relationship with Fresh Start Services has been cleared by integrity commissioner Charles Murray, and Hickey says he’s been careful to go beyond the letter of the law to avoid any appearance of conflict.Savoie’s accusation “has no merit, is based in complete falsehood and is just not true,” Hickey told reporters on Nov. 6. The application of the conflict-of-interest legislation governing lawmakers is fairly narrow, restricting them from making decisions that they know or reasonably should know will further their “private interest or to further another person’s private interest.”Former integrity commissioner Alexandre Deschenes wrote in a 2018 annual report that adding the apparent conflicts to the act was “long overdue.”His predecessor, conflict of interest commissioner Patrick Ryan, had advocated the same change in a review of the act prepared for the legislature.Former integrity commissioner Alexandre Deschenes says he still stands by his belief that apparent conflicts should be included in the legislation. (CBC)Deschenes turned down an interview request but said in an email that he “still feels very strongly about the recommendations made in previous reports that I had a privilege of signing.“I still do not understand the politicians’s reluctance to include the ‘apparent conflict of interest’ in the legislation.”In 2017, former cabinet minister Donald Arseneault resigned his seat after sparking controversy for accepting a lobbying job while sitting as a backbencher. Even though the unusual situation didn’t violate the conflict-of-interest rules of the time, then-premier Brian Gallant ultimately said that Arseneau would have to choose. Earlier that year, health minister Victor Boudreau eventually recused himself from discussions about fecal contamination issues at Parlee Beach because of his stake in a proposed campground in the area.Boudreau said he discussed the issue with Deschenes, who found that his investment did not technically put him in a conflict, partly because of the act’s definition of a “private interest,” which excludes things that are of “general public application” or that affect a “broad class of persons.”However, Boudreau admitted the perception of a conflict was “inevitable.”Gallant did update the law during his tenure, but did not add apparent conflicts to the act.Despite raising concerns over the two incidents at the time, the PC government under Blaine Higgs didn’t strengthen the law after forming a minority government in 2018. Premier Susan Holt says adding apparent conflicts to the ethics rules is not being actively considered. (Silas Brown/CBC)When asked why the Tories didn’t seize the chance to improve the law, Savoie said the former PC government didn’t run into any conflict-of-interest issues.Savoie acknowledged that Boudreau’s recusal and Arseneault’s resignation were “political decisions,” but he said nothing would stop Premier Susan Holt from doing the same in the case of Hickey. Holt called the current law clear and said lawmakers are reviewing regularly to make sure they don’t find themselves in violation. When asked about the recommendations of Ryan and Deschenes to add apparent conflicts to the act, Holt said it wasn’t actively being considered but could be something they looked at in the future.“I’d love to read the advice or recommendation on that and consider it,” she said.Savoie also said that Hickey has a relative working in the not-for-profit housing sector, which creates further potential for conflict.He declined to tell reporters the person he was talking about, but Hickey confirmed that his aunt, Kit Hickey, is the executive director of Housing Alternatives Inc. which provides bookkeeping and property management services for housing non-profits in Saint John.Hickey said he can’t recall having to recuse himself over funding decisions related to the organization since he’s become minister. Hickey did announce $1.9 million for repairs and upgrades for a client of Housing Alternatives Inc, the Abbey, back in March. Finance Minister René Legacy, who has a stake in a Bathurst area brewery, also confirmed that he recused himself from discussions about changes to booze importation rules that may eventually open up additional markets for craft producers in the province.ABOUT THE AUTHORSilas Brown is a Fredericton-based video journalist. You can reach him at silas.brown@cbc.ca.
New Brunswick conflict-of-interest rules re-enter the spotlight
