Dan Fumano: The Vancouver mayor's office says they are confident senior staffer's role as director of private natural gas companies does not interfere with his work at city hall. Others have questions.

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Vancouver’s surprise decision this summer to allow natural gas heating in new buildings was the culmination of behind-the-scenes discussions that included Mayor Ken Sim’s senior adviser, David Grewal, who is director of two private natural gas companies.

The mayor’s office says it is confident Grewal’s roles with his businesses “do not in any way interfere with his duty at the city.”

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But some who opposed the policy reversal on natural gas say Grewal should have recused himself from the discussions, which included meeting with a registered lobbyist for Fortis, B.C. biggest natural gas supplier.

“It’s not even a question that he should have recused himself,” Green Coun. Adriane Carr told Postmedia News. “There’s a lot of concern right now about people’s trust in politicians and government decisions, so in any case, you should err on the side of caution.”

Green Coun. Pete Fry said “it’s incredibly important and appropriate” for the public to get clarity about how Grewal’s business interests outside city hall relate to his work in the mayor’s office.

Vancouver’s code of conduct says that staff members engaging in outside employment or business must ensure it will not conflict nor appear to conflict with their official duties.

Aurora Faulkner-Killam, a lawyer with expertise in municipal law, said she could not comment on a specific case. But, speaking generally, public employees owe a duty to their employers to act in their best interests, while a director of a company owes a similar duty to the company’s best interests.

“A best practice is for individuals with holdings that have the potential to give rise to an appearance of conflict of interest to recuse themselves from participation in decisions, discussions and engagement that could call their objectivity into question,” Faulkner-Killam said.

Grewal declined to be interviewed. No one from the mayor’s office was available for an interview. The mayor’s chief of staff, Trevor Ford, answered questions by email.

“We are confident that David’s roles with his businesses do not in any way interfere with his duty at the city,”........

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