MP Yasmin Ratansi put herself in conflict of interest by employing foster sister: ethics commissioner

Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion says MP Yasmin Ratansi violated the Conflict of Interest Act while she was a member of the Liberal caucus by employing her foster sister in her constituency office for years.

According to Dion's final report, released today, Ratansiargued during Dion'sreview of the case thatZeenat Khatri was not her biological sister, that she had been herfoster sister since the 1950s. Ratansi said the bylaw doesn't specifically state thatMPs cannot hire foster siblings, the report said.

Dion concludedthat didn't matter becauseRatansihadalways considered Khatria sister and publicly called her a sibling.

"The public perception of Ms. Ratansi'srelationship to Ms.Khatri, based on Ms.Ratansi's own public statements and actions, led nonetheless to the strong appearance of an employment relationship that was contrary to the by-law," said Dion in a statement posted online today about hisreport on Khatri's hiring.

"I determined that Ms. Ratansi had furthered Ms. Khatri's private interests within the meaning of the Code by employing Ms. Khatri in her constituency office. As Ms. Khatri was not considered a family member for the purposes of the Code, I had to determine whether those private interests were improperly furthered."

An error made 'in good faith'

The office of Canada's conflict of interest and ethics commissioner received a complaint about Ratansi employing her sister using public funds in 2018, but turned it away . Afterthe story madeheadlines last year, the office reversed courseand opened a review; itadmittedit could have approached the case differently three years ago.

Dion recommendedno penaltyforRatansi. The ethics commissionerconcluded that the non-compliance "occurred through inadvertence or an error in judgment made in good faith."

Ratansiposted on Facebook that she accepts the commissioner's report and hopes it brings an end to the matter.

"The report now allows me to turn the page and my pledge is to continue to represent the residents of Don Valley East to the best of my ability and to ensure their voices are heard in Ottawa," wrote Ratansi.

Ratansi, a longtime MP for Don Valley East, left the Liberal caucus in November2020 after learning CBC News was investigatingthe factthatshe had been employing her sisteras her constituency assistant since 2017 inviolation of parliamentary rules. MPs are not allowed to hire immediate family members, including siblings.

Staffers allege attempt to 'cover up'

Several former employees told CBC News Ratansi tried to "cover up" the relationship at the office by having her sister go by the first name 'Jenny.' CBC News has seen business cards bearing that name from Ratansi's office.

Former staffers also said they sawRatansi's sister hide in an office or under her desk when people came inwho might recognize her, and alleged they were instructed not to take photos of her at work events.

A former employee, Alim Lila,sued Ratansi over aseries of allegations, including workplacemistreatment. In the statement of claim, Lila's lawyer arguedRatansi toldLilashe was hiring her sister, that her sisterwould be usinga pseudonymand thatit was his job "to conceal her identity within the community and the office."

Lila expressed reservationsbut was told Ratansi's decision was final, saidthe court document. Lila "was admonished and suffered verbal abuse" when he accidentally referredto Khatri by her real name,the statement of claim said.

Ratansi has denied the allegations laid out in the lawsuit.

Ratansi argued she didn't violatebylaw

The report saysRatansi told the commissioner that Khatri was employed in her office from 2006 until she lost her seat in the 2011 federal election.Back then, it wasn't against the rules for MPs to hire theirbrothers or sisters; the bylaw changed in 2012.

Ratansi won her seat back in 2015 and in 2017 hired her foster sister back at the office. She later argued she was unaware the rules had changed, according to the report.

Ratansiargued thatthat there is no reference to an "adopted" or "foster" sibling in the Conflict of Interest Code or bylaw.

She testified during Dion's inquiry that her father took on a foster child while the family lived in Tanzania in the 1950s and that he never formally adopted Khatri before he passed away in 1972. Ratansi provided a copy of Khatri's birth certificate which showed Ratansi's fatherwas not named as Khatri's father.

In written testimony and in a mediainterview, Ratansi saidthat she hadalways referred publiclytoKhatrias her sister "in keeping with Islamic cultural practices and her father's personal wishes," said Dion'sreport.

Ratansi has called Khatri her "adopted sister" before. Her microphone went offmutewhile taking a call during an environmental committee hearing on Nov 4, 2020. Ratansi is seen on avideo of the hearing leaning out of frame to take the call and isheard saying, "Zeenat is my adopted sister, actually."

WATCH:MP Yasmin Ratansirefers to her 'adopted sister'

Zeenat is my adopted sister actually, said now Independent MP Yasmin Ratansi

4 years ago

Duration 0:09

Ratansi microphone unmuted while taking a call during an environment committee on Nov 4.

In a letter to the commissioner, Ratansialso said she had employed her "adopted sister" from 2017 to Nov 2., 2020. Ratansi said sheterminated the employment after learning thebylaw barsMPsfromemploying family members, including siblings, saidDion's report.

Ratansi said that the Liberal Party called her on Nov. 2, 2020 and told her ithad received an anonymous letter stating her sister was working in the office, said Dion's report. Ratansi said she was told to fire her sister and write to Dion.

Ratansi, who is now an IndependentMP, apologized on Facebook whenannouncing her departure from the Liberal caucus and said she hadmade an error in judgment.

Members of Parliamenthaveordered Ratansi to reimburse the House of Commons more than $9,000 paid to her sister when her employment was terminated. The House of Commons Board of Internal Economyconducted a three-month-long review and determined Ratansi breached parliamentary rules by employing her sister using public funds.