MLA on ride hailing committee with taxi-driver dad gets conflict of interest commissioner involved
Posted February 13, 2019 9:03 pm.
Last Updated February 14, 2019 5:15 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — After calls from the opposition Liberals for New Democrat Ravi Kahlon to step down from the all-party committee on ride hailing — because his father has a taxi license — the North Delta MLA is bringing the matter to B.C.’s Conflict of Interest Commissioner.
Kahlon has sent a letter to the Office of the Conflict of Interest Commissioner, saying he has been reviewing ride hailing with other committee members in good faith, but that he wants to make sure he’s following the rules.
“I think it’s the prudent thing to do, that’s why the office is there, just to ensure that there’s some oversight. I have no problems at all taking this to the Commissioner and asking for an opinion,” he tells NEWS 1130. “I suspect the Commissioner will say it’s okay because I don’t have a personal financial gain in any way, but I will abide by any decisions the Commissioner makes.”
RELATED: New Democrat’s taxi-driver dad should prompt committee resignation, say Liberals
Kahlon’s father has been driving taxis in Victoria for nearly 30 years.
He wouldn’t say definitively if he would step down from the committee if asked to by the Commissioner, but said he would seriously consider any advice the Commissioner has to give.
“I would have to cross that bridge when that bridge comes, but I respect the decision the conflict Commissioner will make, and when the decision is made I’ll take the next step,” he says.
He said earlier today he didn’t tell the Transportation Minister that his father has a taxi license prior to joining the committee, but that’s not a problem because the ride hailing committee is made up of members from all parties, and they don’t make final decisions.
“This is an all-party committee. We have four BC Liberals, we have four BC NDP members, we have one Green member and we have no authority to make decisions,” he says. “We listen to various stakeholders and we put together our thoughts in a report.”
He says all the decisions are made by the Transportation Minister and Cabinet, not the committee.
“I don’t believe I’m in a conflict, but I will trust the judgement of the Commissioner’s office and I will abide by whatever decision they make,” he says.
Liberal Jas Johal called for Ravi Kahlon to quit the all-party select standing committee on Crown corporations. The committee is preparing a report that would examine and make recommendations on how to implement ride hailing.
– With files from the Canadian Press
