However, he has arranged an extension of a temporary leave of absence from his job at a private equity firm, Onex, in Toronto. It is unclear when that renewed leave of absence will expire.
Wright arrived in the prime minister's office (PMO) in November of 2010 amid controversy, as opposition parties said his continued connection with Onex put him in a conflict of interest.
But Wright rejected that charge, saying that an "ethical wall" would be established to keep him away from matters in his job that might create a conflict.
At the time of the controversy, Onex reportedly expected Wright would return within 18 to 24 months.
On Nov. 2, 2010, Wright told MPs at a parliamentary committee he had an agreement with Onex which stipulated that unless he returned by Jan. 1, 2013, "I will be deemed to have voluntarily resigned."
This summer, as the deadline for his leave of absence approached, questions were raised about Wright's future in the PMO.
Opposition party interest in his role as Harper's right-hand man was elevated further in September once it was confirmed Wright was the subject of a conflict of interest examination by Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson's office.
At issue is whether Wright acted improperly in connection with lobbying activities made by Barrick Gold Corp. The government has said Wright did nothing wrong in his dealings with Barrick and merely passed on the matter to others.
PMO officials declined Tuesday to comment on Wright's future employment plans, stating they never discuss staffing.
However, sources said Wright has no intention of leaving the PMO before the Jan. 1 deadline.
Wright apparently still plans to return to Onex, which he joined in 1997 and where he developed an expertise in private equity transactions, particularly in the aerospace, defence and transportation sectors.
Sources said Wright's leave of absence from Onex has been extended beyond Jan. 1, but they would not disclose the new date.
This new information has been passed on to Dawson's office, where it has been given consent, said sources.
A spokeswoman for Dawson's office declined comment.
In Toronto, Onex vice president Emma Thompson said: "We understand that Nigel intends to return to Onex after his time as chief of staff and we're looking forward to that but will not speculate on timing."
On Parliament Hill, New Democrat MP Charlie Angus urged Wright to "follow the rules" while working in the PMO.
"We have raised concerns about how he was lobbied with Barrack and we felt that that was very inappropriate," said Angus.
"I just hope that if he's going to stay he's going to be very cognizant of the fact that he needs to set a really high standard so that the rest of this caucus, especially the cabinet, understand that these rules are important."
Original Article
Source: canada.com
Author: Mark Kennedy
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