Mr. Chris Warkentin (Grande Prairie – Mackenzie, CPC)
Mr. Speaker, by appointing Mary Jean McFall as the chief of staff, the Minister of Agriculture is disregarding rules that were intended to protect Canadians from corruption. Ms. McFall’s family is the owner of the largest egg producing corporation and she herself was listed as being the owner of $140 million worth of egg quota in 2010.
The minister makes decisions with regard to this family business on a regular basis. How can he justify her hiring and how can he justify this blatant conflict of interest?
Hon. Lawrence MacAuley (Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lib.)
Mr. Speaker, my chief of staff has a strong agricultural background and is a pillar of her community. From day one in my office she was subject to the Conflict of Interest Act and any recommendations from the Ethics Commissioner will be followed in detail.