The recently appointed interim conflict of interest and ethics commissioner of Canada has resigned after Conservatives pointed out her family ties to a Liberal MP.

Martine Richard, sister-in-law of Liberal MP Dominic LeBlanc, stepped down from the role on Wednesday, despite being appointed just last month.

“Martine Richard has informed the Privy Council Office (PCO) that she will no longer be serving as interim commissioner,” a statement read.

Richard was appointed by the Governor in Council on the advice of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Richard will stay in the ethics office — at least temporarily — while the search for a new commissioner takes place. Prior to being appointed to the role, Richard worked in the same ethics office as a lawyer. 

When then-commissioner Mario Dion stepped down for health reasons, Richard was appointed to steer the ship.

The Liberals defended Richard’s appointment, saying that she was hired to work in the ethics office when Stephen Harper was Prime Minister.

MP Dominic LeBlanc, coincidentally, was caught violating ethics laws in 2018 when he served as Canada’s fisheries minister, after he approved a juicy contract to a family member.

Conservative MP Michael Barrett celebrated Richard’s abrupt resignation on Thursday. Just before she resigned, the Conservatives had passed a motion that called for Richard and LeBlanc to testify at an ethics committee study.

“Now, during question period, we learned the news that the ethics commissioner has resigned,” Barrett said.

“This was the right thing to do.”

Barrett added that the gap poses a new problem. 

“Now, we don’t have a functioning commissioner’s office,” he said. “It’s been paralyzed.” 

The Liberals have been caught violating a number of ethics laws in recent years.