Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been found in violation of the Conflict of Interest Act.

The finding was made by federal ethics watchdog, Mario Dion who says Trudeau’s efforts to influence former attorney general Jody Wilson Raybould on the SNC-Lavalin affair were improper.

Wilson-Raybould resigned from cabinet earlier this year after she said she felt pressured to intervene and halt criminal prosecution of the Quebec-based company charged with fraud in relation to contracts for work in Libya.

Dion says Trudeau had asked the former attorney general to consider partisan politics in the matter, something that contravenes basic constitutional principles.

Wilson-Raybauld and former Health Minister Jane Philpott are now running independently after they were removed from the Liberal caucus.