Belliveau Cleared of Conflict of Interest – Again

Nova Scotia’s Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Sterling Belliveau has once again been cleared in conflict of interest allegations.

Late in 2009, a Liberal MLA wrote to Justice Merlin Nunn in connection with Belliveau’s position as fisheries minister and President/Director of an aquaculture company. Leo Glavine asked Justice Nunn to re-examine the actions of Sterling Belliveau because he was both Minister and company owner for several months after his appointment.

Glavine and the Liberals were claimed that following his appointment as minister, Belliveau remained president/director of Mr. Mussel’s Seafarms Limited, and that he failed to inform Justice Nunn that he had a loan with the Nova Scotia Fisheries and Aquaculture Loan Board.

However, Belliveau’s director of communications said that the Minister had indeed been up front with Justice Nunn. Celeste Sulliman said Belliveau went through all of the proper processes to divest his interest in the company and everything was acceptable to Justice Nunn. She explained that the Minister divested his interests in the company as quickly as possible, adding that the process can’t happen in a matter of hours – it takes time.