This is a joke.  Under the Securities laws of Canada, and based on any applicable income tax rules for such a situation, Finance Minister Bill Morneau is still the Beneficial Owner of these Morneau Sheppell shares. Period.

If this isn't a conflict of interest, then nothing is.

Worse, it violates the edict of the PM himself - that his government would avoid the appearance of conflict of interest.

An absolute, unmitigated comedy act from the PM to the Minister to the so-called  "Ethics Commissioner".