THE NDP’s House Leader, Nathan Cullen, commenting on Monday on the resignation of former Conservative MP Chuck Strahl’s resignation from the Canadian Security Intelligence Services Review Committee, said: “As usual, the Conservatives take action only after they’re caught. The timing of this resignation shows that the Conservatives realized they had a new scandal on their hands. A government that’s proud of its actions doesn’t make an announcement like this on a Friday evening.”

He added: “Canadians were greatly concerned to learn about Mr. Strahl’s lobbying for Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline and another company partly-owned by China, while he was chair of Canadian Security Intelligence Services Review Committee. It should have been common sense that someone with his position, trusted with an important job related to national security, should not be lobbying for a pipeline seeking federal government approval.

“Mr. Strahl did the right thing by resigning from SIRC. Now Mr. Harper should do the right thing, close the loopholes on lobbying, and make the appointments to SIRC more transparent and accountable.”