Lethbridge MP Rachael Harder. (The Canadian Press)

By David Opinko

Lethbridge MP named chair of federal ethics committee

Feb 21, 2020 | 4:02 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Rachael Harder has a new and prominent position in Parliament.

She has been named the new Chair of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy, and Ethics.

“To have the opportunity to chair this committee and to be a part of the important topics this committee is responsible for is a tremendous honour and I’m really excited to fulfill the role that I’ve been asked to fulfill.”

Her primary duty will be to oversee the day-to-day functions of the committee and to serve as the tie-breaking vote should that occur.

Harder will also take a look at the ongoing operations of the Information Commissioner, the Privacy Commissioner, the Ethics Commissioner, and the Commissioner of Lobbying.

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One area the MP is excited to have a role in is keeping Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accountable.

In August 2019, the Trudeau II report came back that looked into whether the PM pressured then-Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould to halt a criminal investigation into the actions of SNC-Lavalin.

During Ethics Commissioner Martin Dion’s investigation, the Prime Minister had blocked access to certain key witnesses.

“Now that there’s a Liberal minority government in place, we have a real opportunity to go back and do a thorough investigation and give the Ethics Commissioner opportunity to look at the information he needed from the beginning,” says Harder.

In the end, the Liberal leader was found guilty of contravening the Conflict of Interest Act.

This will be Harder’s first time being part of the ethics committee.

She believes she already has the skills to adapt to her new role, given that she was named the Shadow Minister for the Status of Women in 2017.

“I’ll be taking those leadership skills and my understanding of policy and my understanding of team building, my understanding of casting vision and getting stuff done – I’ll be taking those skill sets and I’ll be applying them to this role and, hopefully, we’ll be efficient and effective as a committee.”

As the chair of the ethics committee, Harder will not have a set length for her term. She will serve for as long as the committee or the leader of the official opposition sees fit.