Sask. commissioner sides with Opposition MLA after conflict-of-interest complaint

Dayne Patterson · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 25, 2025 5:20 PM EDT | Last Updated: 9 minutes ago

Saskatchewan's conflict-of-interest commissioner recovered that portion an Opposition subordinate of the legislative assembly's (MLA's) societal media posts astir her idiosyncratic institution "come adjacent to the line," they bash not represent a struggle of interest.

Jeremy Reiter, the existent lawman premier and curate of concern among different roles, wrote to the struggle of involvement commissioner successful September 2024 about posts by Aleana Young, the NDP MLA for Regina South Albert.

He alleged Young utilized her MLA website and societal media accounts to beforehand the marque and products of Takeaway Gourmet TGM Inc. — a gourmet food store successful Regina that she owns and operates — successful usurpation of The Members Conflict of Interest Act.

According to the study from conflict-of-interest commissioner Maurice Herauf, Reiter argued that, successful societal media posts dating backmost to 2021, Young had attempted to power her societal media followers, visitors to her website and the broader nationalist to person a "positive perception" of the company's marque and products.

According to the report, the Act is breached erstwhile an MLA "uses their bureau to beforehand backstage interests," including attempting to power a person's decision. Herauf said this is the archetypal lawsuit to travel to his bureau astir societal media usage by members.

In his petition for the commissioner's opinion, Reiter shared 42 posts helium believed were successful contravention of the enactment and besides noted different times when news articles referred to her ownership of the store and her governmental standing.

The posts included Young sharing an Instagram communicative the institution made astir a "savoury food board" for $25, and a Twitter station during the pandemic that showed 2 photos — 1 of Young masked extracurricular the Legislature and 1 of her handling food products astatine the store — captioned "get an elected authoritative who tin bash both."

Young's ineligible counsel contested Reiter's claims connected her behalf successful a effect successful February. The study says Young argues determination needs to beryllium an actual, subjective volition to power different person. The commissioner agreed.

"I judge her grounds that she was not intending to power anyone successful favour of the institution done these posts," Herauf wrote.

"If anything, Ms. Young was trying to beforehand herself arsenic a Member by projecting herself arsenic a real, accessible and genuine MLA — not to beforehand the Company itself."

He compared Young's posts to members posting connected societal media from their household farm, which could beryllium construed arsenic promoting their workplace business.

Herauf expressed interest that immoderate of Young's posts about the company's products, prices, hours and seeing radical astatine the store "come precise adjacent to promotions," but did not find capable grounds to amusement Young was successful usurpation of the act.

Herauf besides said Young cannot power however the media refers to her oregon whether it uses her company's logo successful its reporting.

In conclusion, Herauf said helium is not alert of immoderate guidance for MLAs connected however to usage societal media erstwhile it comes to issues of conflicts of interests oregon expenses, and said it would beryllium utile to found some.