Kevin Rombout
Former deputy director of policy for Ontario's Ministry of Mines (per the Toronto Star), in the office of then-Minister George Pirie. Listed in the Ontario Lobbyist Registry as Senior Specialist, External Affairs, under Kinross Gold's in-house registration PP4900-20240718032499. Kinross and the Ontario government say he consulted the Integrity Commissioner before changing jobs and followed all ethics rules; the commissioner will not confirm or deny whether it gave him advice. No finding of wrongdoing has been made.
Connected Scandals
Government records obtained by the Toronto Star show Kevin Rombout, a senior policy staffer to then-Mines Minister George Pirie, actively advancing Kinross Gold's Great Bear mine file in 2024. He now works for Kinross and is listed on its lobbyist registration. Kinross and the province say he consulted the Integrity Commissioner and followed all ethics rules, but neither will release the full guidance. No finding of wrongdoing has been made.
Internal records obtained by the Toronto Star show that in 2024, as deputy director of policy for the Ministry of Mines, he briefed staff in the Premier's Office, exchanged emails with Kinross and directed bureaucrats on how to advance the Great Bear project. He is now listed as an in-house lobbyist for Kinross. Democracy Watch's Duff Conacher alleges the move appears to have violated an ethics law; Kinross and the province deny this and say he followed all rules.