In this age of public distrust towards our governing officials, MP John Williamson has introduced a private member’s bill (C-518) which addresses political corruption directly. In a nutshell, it would ensure that a MP or Senator who has been convicted of a serious crime while serving in office would not be eligible to collect their Parliamentary pension. This would make any government official think a few times before using the system for personal advantage.

It is easy for the public and media to be cynical of our government leaders – blame is easy to dish out. Yet Romans 13 instructs us to have a very high view of these public office holders because “there is no authority except which God has established.” The apostle Paul goes on to explain that these government officials are “God’s servants for good” and therefore worthy of honour. The “rule of law,” which holds that every person is equally under the law, is foundational to western democracies, including Canada. It is built on the premise that government officials are equally accountable to God, no less than anyone else. 

The cynicism towards our governing officials comes in part because of stories of alleged and proven exploitation of these offices. Bill C-518 would serve to uphold the rule of law by deterring the exploitation of power that comes with public office. At the same time, it should improve the public perception of our government officials, which is long overdue.

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