OTTAWA - Prime Minister Stephen Harper says Industry Minister Christian Paradis "didn't act with any ill intention" when he broke conflict-of-interest rules in 2009.

The ethics watchdog for the House of Commons said yesterday that Paradis broke the rules when he gave a former Tory colleague preferential treatment.

Paradis -- then Public Works minister -- directed his officials to set up special meetings with defeated Tory MP Rahim Jaffer to discuss a private project.

In her report, conflict of interest commissioner Mary Dawson said this sort of special treatment is unfair to other businesses.

During his visit to Thailand today, Harper said he had reviewed the findings of Dawson's report and found that "no substantial harm of any kind" occurred.

Harper added that Paradis should learn and to "conduct himself with greater precaution in the future."

Paradis issued a statement yesterday saying he accepts the findings of the report, while emphasizing there was never any prospect of financial benefit for himself.