MacKinley cleared of conflict of interest

A report by P.E.I.'s conflict of interest commissioner released Wednesday clears Transportation Minister Ron MacKinley in a complaint regarding new street lights next to his property in Cornwall.

MacKinley said the lights were for safer access to the Cornwall Industrial Park, which is on the other side of the Trans-Canada Highway from property owned by MacKinley.

MacKinley said the town had been lobbying for the lights for years.

Opposition MLA Mike Currie made the complaint in October, saying the lights would increase the value of MacKinley's property, placing the minister in a conflict.

But conflict of interest commissioner Neil Robinson said because the intersection is three-way, without access to MacKinley's property, there is no conflict.

Robinson took two months to conduct his investigation, writing a draft report over the holidays and completing the final report this week.

He delivered it to Speaker Kathleen Casey Wednesday, who then gave copies to the opposition and MacKinley.