Agriculture minister Lawrence MacAulay’s chief of staff will have to excuse herself from conversations about the Canadian egg industry, says the conflict of interest and ethics commissioner.
Questions have surrounded the appointment of Mary Jean McFall since she was named to the post in January. Her family owns and operates the country’s largest egg producer, Burnbrae Farms Ltd. She is a lawyer who also spent time on the Egg Farmers of Ontario board and ran unsuccessfully as a Liberal candidate last October.
Opposition members had earlier asked MacAulay and McFall to appear before the House of Commons’ agriculture committee to discuss potential conflicts of interest, but they refused.
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Last week, Conservative agriculture critic Chris Warkentin again asked about the conflict in light of a statement posted on commissioner Mary Dawson’s website.
It said McFall is required to abstain from participating in any discussion about Burnbrae and its affiliates or associates.
“This would include matters, other than those of general application, within the supply management system with respect to the egg industry and the Trans-Pacific Partnership,” said the statement.
“It also extends to matters or decisions, other than those of general application, relating to the Egg Farmers of Canada or any of its representatives,; Egg Farmers of Ontario or any of its representatives, Farm Products Council of Canada or any of its representatives, as well as the Canadian Poultry and Egg Processors Council or any of its representatives.”
A conflict of interest screen will be administered by the policy director in the minister’s office to make sure McFall follows the rules.
Warkentin asked whether McFall could actually do her job given the restrictions.
“Why is she still on the payroll if the qualifications that made her qualified for the job are the things that she cannot speak about?” he asked May 12 during question period.
MacAulay repeatedly said McFall had completed the guidelines required by the commissioner and would follow them.
“Does my honourable colleague indicate that all we want to work in agriculture are people who know nothing about agriculture?” he said.
However, Ontario MP Bev Shipley, another Conservative member of the agriculture committee, said the problem wasn’t her knowledge of the industry.
“It is the fact that she practically owns the industry,” he said.
