SENAT
L?honorable V. Peter Harder CP.

Ropr?sentam do gouyerncment au S?nal

SENATE
The Honourable V. Peter Harder P.C.

Government Representative in the Senate

 

CANADA

March 10, 2017

The Honourable Don Meredith
The Senate of Canada

Victoria Building, Room 403
Ottawa, Ontario

K1A 0A4

Senator,
I have attempted to contact you repeatedly, but have yet to hear back from you.

As you know, yesterday, the Office of the Senate Ethics Officer released an inquiry
report into your conduct in the context of a relationship with a young individual (Ms. M).
Specifically, the Ethics Officer found that through your conduct in relation to Ms. M, you failed
to ?uphold the highest standards of dignity inherent to the position of a senator? and to ?refrain
from acting in a way that could reflect adversely on the position of senator or the institution of
the senate.? The findings of fact of the Report, which I accept, are deeply disturbing. I expect the
full Senate will reach the same conclusion.

There is no place in the Senate for the conduct found by the Senate Ethics Officer to
have occurred and I anticipate that the Senate as a whole will take strong action to protect the
reputation and dignity of the institution as Canadians would expect. In similar
circumstances, a professional order, such as a Law Society, would do all that is necessary to
protect the reputation of the profession and secure the confidence of the public. I expect the
Senate will do the same in this case.

The next step in the process is for the Committee on Senate Ethics to consider the
report; afford you the right to be heard; and report back to the Senate on appropriate sanctions.
I anticipate that this will be followed by a public debate in the chamber on the
recommendations of the Committee. This will be a very painful process for those affected by
your conduct, including Ms. M, yourself and your family. It will also likely inflict signi?cant
reputational damage to the Senate, an institution that is working overtime to put ethical
scandals behind it. If nothing else, it would not be fair to your peers for you to persist in
remaining a member of the Senate.

Alternatively, should you exhibit judgment and vacate your seat in the Senate, this
dif?cult process would almost certainly come to an end. Pursuant to Section 49(4) of the Ethics
and Conflict of Interest Code for Senators, ?Consideration of an inquiry raport in respect of a

Senator who ceases to be a Senator is permanently suspended unless the Committee decides
otherwise."

Given the foregoing, I would urge you to adopt the proper course of action to prevent
further trauma to persons who have been directly affected by your conduct. More specifically, I
urge you to do the honourable thing and resign from your in the Senate.

  
 
   

r?Harder, P.C.