Navigating Grey Areas: Ethics, Codes of Conduct and Conflicts of Interest
November 13, 2025
Conflicts of interest are an ongoing challenge for public institutions, elected officials and organizations alike. Some are easier to negotiate than others. But role-related conflicts can be particularly difficult to spot and manage.
Three prominent speakers were recently invited to share their insights into this topic as part of a panel discussion entitled “Ethics and Conflicts of Interest: Where’s the Line Drawn?” held during a networking cocktail reception in Quebec City hosted by the Certification and Ethics and Compliance team at Executive Education HEC Montréal. They were:
- Régis Labeaume, former mayor of Quebec City and columnist at La Presse
- Antoine Robitaille, political columnist for Le Journal de Montréal, Le Journal de Québec, TVA, LCN and QUB Radio
- Ginette Depelteau, corporate director, and ethics and compliance expert.
Critical concepts, shifting perceptions
Antoine Robitaille said that the definition of what constitutes a conflict of interest in the political realm has changed dramatically since the Quebec National Assembly adopted its code of ethics and conduct in 2010: “That was when they clearly established the kind of situation in which a politician’s personal interests can affect their objectivity.”
The previous decades had been marked by scandals touching on everything from a lack of transparency in political funding to a blur in the distinction between private and public interests. A more formal ethical framework was developed in response. But even though these rules have since been strengthened, Robitaille noted that ongoing vigilance is a must: “There’s always a risk of slipping off course — and even a perceived conflict is enough to undermine public trust.”
Ambiguity and moral responsibility
These are exactly the grey areas where ethics takes on even greater value: where the rules stop and personal judgment begins. Régis Labeaume, who served as the mayor of Quebec City for 14 years, stressed that any ambiguous circumstances that he encountered during his political career were always handled with a zero-tolerance approach.
With his trademark candour, Labeaume emphasized the crucial importance of avoiding any irregularities related to conflicts of interest by fostering a culture of diligence and transparency. “Our moral duty to lead by example translates to some very real constraints, and ones that the public doesn’t generally know much about,” he said. Personal judgment plays an essential role. Some situations require careful deliberation every step of the way, while others are extremely clear from the get-go.
“You can’t just go out and sleep on a park bench when you’re in Montreal, for example. You have to get a hotel room!” he quipped. He insisted that he categorically rejected anything that might have be open to misinterpretation, no matter how trivial, saying that he covered his own expenses in any situation where there was a potential conflict of interest. “I paid for my own wine, my own water, my ow meals and everything else. I didn’t take any risks.”
But things become more complicated in smaller municipalities, where there tends to be more overlap in roles and responsibilities: “In communities of 2,000 people, it’s very likely that mayors, councillors and contractors all be related or friends.” For Labeaume, the key in any situation lies in full transparency and watertight guidelines for all stakeholders. “The message has to be crystal clear: no means no. You have to stand firm throughout the entire process. When it comes to ethics, optics are just as important as policy.”
An exercise of judgment and courage
Robitaille insisted on the necessity of a living, breathing culture of ethics that goes beyond policy. He feels strongly that a journalist’s job involves more than reporting on facts: they have to act as a watchdog for those in power, ask tough questions and constantly remind people that principles that should guide public action. “It’s not something that should ever be taken for granted. A culture of ethics has to be perpetually nurtured,” he said, reiterating that vigilance is vital to maintaining public trust.
He pointed out that ethics are more than a set of rules. They are an ongoing process rooted in transparency, courage and consistency — not only for those at the top, but for everyone to whom these rules apply.
One size doesn’t fit all
The discussion underscored the breadth and depth of ethics-related considerations. As explained by Ginette Depelteau, codes of conduct are often dictated by professional and legislative bodies, but ethics are more of a matter of personal discernment, judgment and values.
“Ethics are what guide people when there’s no hard and fast rule to refer to, when the distinctions are fuzzier,” she said. “And there’s no one universal formula. Ethics are deep-seated, personal and specific to who you are. Two people facing the same dilemma can come up with two completely different conclusions, depending on what their frames of reference and backgrounds are. The important thing is to ask the right questions before actually doing anything.”
Training: The key to knowing where to draw the line
This healthy debate illustrated the importance of the mission of the Certification in Ethics and Compliance to equip leaders with the tools and knowledge to balance integrity, judgement and moral courage against an increasingly complex backdrop.
The event was made possible through the support of the program’s founding member and partners — La Caisse, the Commission de la construction du Québec, Desjardins and KPMG — in collaboration with Therrien Couture Joli-Cœur and the Université de Montréal Faculty of Law.
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