Ethics Commissioner Resigns
Sunday April 1, 2007
Bernard Shapiro has quietly resigned as Ethics Commissioner. The former principal of McGill University was appointed as the first independent Ethics Commissioner of the House of Commons in 2004. The Ethics Commissioner reported directly to the House of Commons, replacing the former Ethics Counsellor who reported to the Prime Minister, and was responsible for administering a code of conduct for members of parliament as well as the Prime Minister’s ethical guidelines for Ministers and other public office holders.
Intelligent and serious, Bernard Shapiro was constantly under attack from politicians of all parties, depending on which MP was being investigated at the time. He never got the cooperation of Stephen Harper, either when he was Opposition Leader or when he was Prime Minister.
Since the only way an Officer of Parliament can be replaced is through a resolution of the House of Commons, the Conservatives used the omnibus Federal Accountability Act to create a new Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner position requiring a judicial or quasi-judicial background, which Bernard Shapiro does not have. The Federal Accountability Act received Royal Assent in December 2006, but the section governing the Ethics Commissioner has not yet come into force. Bernard Shapiro's days in the job were obviously numbered, but he stood his ground with dignity.
Bernard Shapiro's experience as Ethics Commissioner brings into question the sincerity of all MPs in paying more than lip service to the question of government ethics. It will be interesting to see how well his successor does. I'm not convinced that most MPs don't want to behave ethically, but many seem to have difficulty understanding the basics of ethical behaviour in a political context. Perhaps the next Ethics Commissioner will find an effective way to educate public office holders on just what is expected of them.
Role of Ethics Commissioner of Canada
Background on Role of Ethics Commissioner - CBC
Ethics Commissioner Says He's Packing it in - Edmonton Sun
Shapiro's Reasons for Leaving a Mystery - Globe and Mail
Canadian Government Ethics
Intelligent and serious, Bernard Shapiro was constantly under attack from politicians of all parties, depending on which MP was being investigated at the time. He never got the cooperation of Stephen Harper, either when he was Opposition Leader or when he was Prime Minister.
Since the only way an Officer of Parliament can be replaced is through a resolution of the House of Commons, the Conservatives used the omnibus Federal Accountability Act to create a new Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner position requiring a judicial or quasi-judicial background, which Bernard Shapiro does not have. The Federal Accountability Act received Royal Assent in December 2006, but the section governing the Ethics Commissioner has not yet come into force. Bernard Shapiro's days in the job were obviously numbered, but he stood his ground with dignity.
Bernard Shapiro's experience as Ethics Commissioner brings into question the sincerity of all MPs in paying more than lip service to the question of government ethics. It will be interesting to see how well his successor does. I'm not convinced that most MPs don't want to behave ethically, but many seem to have difficulty understanding the basics of ethical behaviour in a political context. Perhaps the next Ethics Commissioner will find an effective way to educate public office holders on just what is expected of them.
Role of Ethics Commissioner of Canada
Background on Role of Ethics Commissioner - CBC
Ethics Commissioner Says He's Packing it in - Edmonton Sun
Shapiro's Reasons for Leaving a Mystery - Globe and Mail
Canadian Government Ethics
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