EDMONTON — The Alberta government has confirmed that Asian trade envoy Gary Mar will be heading back to Hong Kong after being cleared in an ethics investigation.
The investigation was conducted by a labour-relations expert at the behest of the government and looked into a fundraising dinner held for Mar.
The money raised at the dinner was used to clear up debts from Mar’s unsuccessful bid for the provincial Tory leadership, and the allegation was that Mar used his civil-servant post as Asian trade envoy to sell tickets.
News of the dinner broke in the lead up to the Alberta election campaign, and Premier Alison Redford put her former rival on leave without pay while the matter was probed.
But the government says the investigation found no conflict of interest.
It says invitations to the dinner were changed to make it clear it was a private affair with no connection to Mar’s post, and Mar was not involved in the direct solicitation of funds.
The government says Mar will be back in Hong Kong next week.