University of Ottawa Chancellor Huguette Labelle is the newly elected chair of Transparency International (TI), the global coalition against corruption. She replaces Peter Eigen, who founded the organization 12 years ago.
“Huguette Labelle’s background in development and government has given her a unique knowledge of the issues facing the anti-corruption movement today. As an effective and persuasive communicator, she will serve as a powerful voice on the international stage,” said TI’s Chief Executive David Nussbaum.
Labelle has served as president of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), deputy minister of transport, and chair of the Public Service Commission of Canada. She is currently on the board of the International Institute for Sustainable Development, the World Conservation Union and the African Virtual University. She chairs the Financial Services Ombudsnetwork and is also a member of the World Commission on Globalisation.
Labelle said she became convinced that corruption was “a matter of life and death” when she was president of CIDA. “I witnessed first hand the ravages of corruption on human development; how it deprived poor people of the resources to pull themselves out of poverty; how they were denied access to education, health, water, credit and citizenship because they could not afford bribes. I also saw how corruption distorted trade and contributed to the failure of states, with associated high mortality, destabilization, conflict and insecurity.”
She pledged to continue working for the promotion of ethical standards and implementation of anti-corruption laws and conventions, with effective independent monitoring and enforcement.
