Shelly Glover likely hopes she's averted controversy after a questionable fundraiser earlier this week.

The federal Heritage Minister attended an event in her Saint Boniface riding on Thursday evening.

But when she got there, she learned that many of the attendees were members of Winnipeg's arts community, who have dealt with her department.

Everyone at the event made a $50 donation to attend, and one person made a $500 donation.

The problem is, under federal conflict of interest rules, cabinet ministers cannot solicit donations from anyone who has asked for money or who may ask for money from her department.

In a statement released late Friday, Mike Storeshaw, Glover's director of communications, said the minister wasn't personally involved in organizing the event.

Storeshaw said Glover has refunded the money and has written the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner.

He said she's instructed her electoral district association which organized the fundraiser not to hold similar events.

Glover was not available for comment Saturday.

Federal NPD ethics critic Alexandre Boulerice said Glover has no one but herself to blame for putting herself in an inappropriate situation.

"If you are a minister, you have to be really careful not to ask money from an organization you have business with," he said. "It will put them in some kind of conflict of interest. And I think now she is admitting it was a lack of judgment from the beginning."