Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, as the issue of conflict of interest pertains to the Languages Commission, there is no legislation, nor are there any policies that I am aware of that would govern the office of the Languages Commissioner in the area of conflict of interest. Accordingly, in the absence of any clear legislation or policy on this issue, the matter must be determined by the individual involved and by this Assembly as to their thoughts and beliefs as to whether there may be a conflict of interest.
If the Member is asking me, and it is a little bit unclear as to whether a Member of this House may be in a position of conflict of interest under the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, I can only state that as all Members are aware, there are provisions in the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act respecting a prohibition on spousal contracts in certain circumstances. However, this Legislature has set up a mechanism for dealing with those types of perceived conflicts and that mechanism is through laying a complaint with the Ethics Commissioner. It would be my respectful suggestion that as this Legislature has set up that body specifically to deal with the issue of conflict of interest as it pertains to Members of this House, that that process, the process of the Ethics Commissioner and laying a complaint, should be used prior to debating this issue in the House.
Under the Legislative Assembly Act, the Ethics Commissioner is bound to report back to the House on any findings. It would be at that time that this issue could then be debated in the House. I hope that answers the Member's question, Mr. Chairman.