National

Bains appointment to Rogers prompts House committee to invite lobbying commissioner

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 26 Apr, 2023 11:15 AM

OTTAWA — The lobbying commissioner is being asked to appear at a House of Commons committee to explain why the appointment of a former industry minister to an executive role at Rogers doesn't break the lobbying code.

The House of Commons ethics committee agreed Tuesday to invite the commissioner to a future meeting following a motion moved by Conservative Michael Barrett.

Former Liberal MP Navdeep Bains was the minister of industry for more than five years until he left government for the private sector in 2021.

He was among several new appointments made to Rogers executive leadership team last week after Bains cleared his new job with both the lobbying and ethics commissioners in Ottawa.

The industry minister is responsible for overseeing Canada's industrial strategy, including regulating national sectors such as telecommunications.

The motion passed in committee on Tuesday as critics warn about the optics of the appointment.

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