Image Credit: CPAC

By James Peters

Federal Election 2019

McLeod pleased to see Wilson-Raybould re-elected

Oct 25, 2019 | 3:39 PM

KAMLOOPS — While she is not satisfied with the general election resulting in another Liberal government, the returning MP for Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo says she is happy a former Liberal cabinet minister was re-elected.

Jody Wilson-Raybould was the only independent MP elected on Monday (Oct. 21), comfortably winning Vancouver-Granville with 2,900 more votes than the Liberal runner-up.

As Canada’s attorney general, Wilson-Raybould was at the centre of the SNC-Lavalin scandal. The ethics commissioner found Prime Minister Justin Trudeau violated ethics rules by improperly influencing Wilson-Raybould around the prosecution of the Quebec engineering giant.

Cathy McLeod told CFJC’s Balance of Power she was glad to see Wilson-Raybould re-elected.

“She stood up on a really important issue, and that was a prime minister interfering with prosecutorial independence,” said McLeod. “Her constituents said, ‘No, that’s not okay.'”

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While they have sat on opposite sides of the aisle, McLeod and Wilson-Raybould have had a chance to cross paths many times as B.C. MPs, and in Wilson-Raybould’s former roles with the B.C. Assembly of First Nations.

“I’ve always had a very good relationship with her. I have enormous respect [for her],” said McLeod. “She’ll be willing to work with any party if she believes the issue is right.”

Trudeau says he will name his new cabinet on Nov. 20. A date for the resumption of sitting has not been set.

As an independent MP, Wilson-Raybould will likely be seated a back corner in the new House of Commons seating chart.