Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky shakes hands with Chrystia Freeland in Kyiv on Monday.UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SER/Reuters
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Monday that former deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland is taking on a new role as an adviser on economic development to Ukraine. However, there was a glaring problem: Ms. Freeland was named to the role with a foreign government while remaining a sitting member of Parliament.
Late Monday, Ms. Freeland announced that by accepting the unpaid position, she would be stepping aside from her role as the Prime Minister’s Special Representative for the Reconstruction of Ukraine. That removed her from the most galling conflict – that she was a Canadian government representative to Ukraine, and had been also named an adviser to the Ukrainian government. Ms. Freeland also vowed on Monday that she would leave her seat in Parliament in the “coming weeks.”
These belated actions are not enough. Ms. Freeland’s needlessly messy departure is disrespectful to Parliament, to her constituents in University-Rosedale and to all Canadians. It also shows a serious lack of judgement on her part, and on the part of Prime Minister Mark Carney. The confusing exit is also an unnecessary blemish on Ms. Freeland’s record in public office.
Taking on a role for a foreign government while representing Canada is a clear, troubling and inescapable conflict of interest. Yes, Canada is a close supporter of Ukraine, and a key player in helping the country fend off the illegal war waged by Russia. President Vladimir Putin’s ruthless authoritarianism is a threat to Canada’s partners in Europe, and democracies everywhere.
But that doesn’t mean that Canada’s interests are identical to Ukraine’s. Each country has its own culture and overlapping but not identical political goals.
Carney says Freeland’s decision to accept Ukraine role ‘consistent’ with plans to resign as MP
Opinion: What’s a Canadian MP doing as an adviser for a foreign government?
For example, in Ms. Freeland’s role as Canada’s representative for Ukraine, she might have wanted to press the Ukrainian government over its corruption problems, given Canada recently committed an additional $50-million to equip its military. While Ms. Freeland has no connection to the scandal, she might handle it differently as an adviser for the Ukrainian government.
Ms. Freeland has been eyeing an exit from Parliament for months, having announced in November that she will become the CEO of the Oxford-based educational organization Rhodes Trust in July. In September, she stepped down from cabinet and announced she wouldn’t run in the next federal election.
The Liberals benefit from her presence in the House. Even though University-Rosedale is a safe Liberal seat, a temporary vacancy could make it harder for the government to pass votes. With the Liberals on the cusp of a majority, there are scenarios where Ms. Freeland’s vote could make a difference if, for instance, opposition MPs vacated their seats.
Mr. Carney, who learned about Ms. Freeland’s position with Ukraine on Dec. 24, said on Tuesday that he didn’t ask Ms. Freeland to stay, and that there will be a by-election.
The Prime Minister also said Ms. Freeland’s decision to accept the role offered by Mr. Zelensky is “consistent” with her plan to resign as MP. His meaning is somewhat vague, but it is clear that he has no great objection to her slow-motion resignation. That temporary arrangement may be good for Ms. Freeland and the Liberal party, but it’s not so great for the country.
It also raises questions about federal conflict of interest rules and their enforcement. The Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner did have a conversation with Ms. Freeland, but declined to disclose what was discussed, citing confidentiality rules. Allowing an MP to take on an adviser role with a foreign government should clearly be forbidden, even if the position is unpaid.
At this serious moment in Canada’s history, when we are seeking to redefine ourselves as a nation, this is a profoundly unserious thing for the governing party to do. It would be unthinkable for most countries to allow their governing representatives to work simultaneously for foreign governments. However, these blind spots are part of a pattern from the Liberals, who often have found themselves in hot water due to their lack of awareness about obvious conflicts.
Canada’s representatives should act for Canada alone. Doing otherwise, even for a short time, isn’t acceptable. Ms. Freeland needs to step down as MP – not in a few weeks, not when it is convenient for the Liberal government, but today.