HillTimes.com: PM's next chief of staff most recently linked to a major U.S. aircraft manufacturer

[tuvor]

Prime Minister Stephen Harper's designated new chief of staff was until last week a director of a major U.S. aircraft manufacturer that is partnered with defence industry giant Lockheed Martin in a bid to sell a fleet of precision attack and reconnaissance warplanes to the U.S. Air Force.

Opposition MPs are raising red flags over the link between Nigel Wright, expected to take over as Prime Minister Harper's (Calgary Southwest, Alta.) chief of staff in January, and the U.S. defence bid because of the controversial $17-billion sole-source contract Prime Minister Harper's Cabinet is awarding to Lockheed Martin to supply Canada with 65 stealth fighter jets.

Mr. Wright, a partner and managing director at Onex, last week informed Hawker Beechcraft Inc., the aircraft firm partnered with Lockheed Martin in the precision-attack plane bid, that he would be resigning his board post this month, according to a departure of directors notice from Hawker Beechcraft that financial news services posted in late September shortly after Prime Minister Harper announced his selection of Mr. Wright as his top political aide.

Despite that resignation, however, Mr. Wright's relationship with Hawker Beechcraft's parent, Onex, remains unclear. The only statement the company has apparently released since the appointment was a "note" to The National Post that the newspaper quoted the day Prime Minister Harper's office quietly circulated news of Mr. Wright's selection.

...

http://www.hilltimes.com/page/view/chiefofstaff-10-04-2010

[CHIMO]

1. On-loan executives not unheard of in government, ethics chief says

The Commons ethics watchdog says there are checks and balances in place to allow Canadian executives to temporarily serve the federal government.

Onex Corp.’s Nigel Wright will be joining the Prime Minister's Office as Stephen Harper's chief of staff later this fall.

Reports say he will be returning to his position at the private equity investment company after 18 months.

The opposition parties have complained Mr. Wright has too many potential conflicts of interest through his business activities, particularly with regard to the aerospace industry.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/on-loan-executives-not-unheard-of-in-government-ethics-chief-says/article1743738/

So? It is a potential conflict. Stop it now.