MPs call on ethics commissioner to testify about Trudeau's latest Jamaican family vacation
Members of the House ethics committee have agreed to call Canada's interim ethics commissioner Konrad von Finckenstein to testify about the rules around gifts and trips, amid concerns over Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's latest Jamaican vacation.
While the acting ethics official has been invited to speak specifically about the rules for "gifts, vacations, and travel," under the Conflict of Interest Act, MPs on the committee agreed that all questions related to Trudeau's holiday trip will be allowed.
It remains to be seen whether this one-time hearing could be expanded into a more fulsome study into the matter, depending on what's revealed at this upcoming meeting.
The decision to invite von Finckenstein to appear was made at a special hearing on Wednesday. He's expected to appear once Parliament and regular House of Commons committee hearings resume at the end of January.
Speaking to why he led the push for this probe, Conservative MP and ethics critic Michael Barrett said that he wanted to hear directly from von Finckenstein about whether or not he knew Trudeau would be staying for free at a villa, owned by a longtime family friend.
"The question isn't, 'Should the prime minister take vacations?' Everyone is entitled to one, and that's fine," Barrett said Wednesday. The problem is the changing narrative coming from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Barrett said. "This is incredibly problematic."
Liberal MPs agreed to call for the ethics commissioner to appear, but indicated their intent is to see him speak publicly about MPs' ethics rules to provide Canadians clarity around what is permitted and why.
The New Democrats backed the push to focus the hearing more broadly than on Trudeau's latest trip, noting that given recent examples of travel by both Liberals and Conservatives, MPs ought to explore whether the rules need to be adjusted regarding the wealthy being able to influence their political friends.
"I think it makes sense to expand the scope of the visit, not to the exclusion of the question about the Jamaica trip, because obviously, that's why we're all here... But on the other hand, to have it only be about that also means that I think we may be setting ourselves up just to get some quite unsatisfactory answers," said NDP MP Daniel Blaikie during Wednesday's meeting.
This push for a study comes after the Official Opposition wrote to the conflict of interest and ethics commissioner last week. In the letter, Barrett asked him to launch an investigation, citing concerns about Trudeau's shifting messaging regarding the cost of his 10-day family vacation.
While Trudeau's office has not confirmed the location of the prime minister's holiday, the National Post has reported the family stayed at a privately owned villa that rents for several thousand dollars per night, and is part of a resort that belongs to businessman Peter Green's family, which has decades-old ties to the Trudeau family.
In estimating that the trip would be valued at more than $80,000, Barrett suggested the offering of accommodations was a substantial gift, and challenged the premise that it was equivalent to staying at a friend's place over the holidays.
The Conservatives also tried to get the committee to order all correspondence and documents including emails, text messages, call logs, and notes, between Trudeau's office and the Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner regarding his travel to this estate.
That effort was defeated, with NDP and Liberal MPs expressing concerns about the precedent that would set given MPs go to von Finckenstein's office in confidence, to consult and seek advice on their conduct.
Asked Wednesday morning about the acrimony surrounding his vacation, and whether he can see how Canadians could misinterpret the gifted accommodations, Trudeau doubled down. He said in French that his family, like many others, stayed with friends over the Christmas season, and all the rules were followed.
"I really don't think that the seriousness of this has landed for Prime Minister Trudeau and I hope that, you know, hearing from the ethics commissioner will help reinforce the legal obligations that designated public office holders will have with respect to the Act," Barrett said, reacting to the prime minister's remark.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks to members of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal, in Montreal, Jan. 16, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi
WHO PAID FOR THE PM'S TRIP?
Trudeau and his immediate family left for the Caribbean island on Boxing Day. The PMO initially said Trudeau's family would pay for their stay. But, as The Canadian Press reported, the office later clarified the accommodations were "at no cost at a location owned by family friends."
His office also stated the ethics commissioner was consulted "on these details prior to the travel to ensure that the rules were followed."
The PMO said at the time that Trudeau "continues to reimburse the equivalent of a commercial airline ticket for his personal travel and that of his family." The prime minister must travel on government aircraft per longstanding government policy.
Responding previously to Barrett's accusations of being less than transparent, PMO press secretary Mohammad Hussain said that "any allegation that we would mislead the Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner is categorically false," in an emailed statement.
The resort is also reportedly where Trudeau and his family vacationed over the 2022 holiday season, a trip that despite raising similar concerns among opposition MPs over its cost and location, was also cleared by the federal ethics office in advance.
While any costs associated with his latest holiday have yet to be made public by the government, documents tabled in the House of Commons detailing the expenses related to Trudeau's 2022 Jamaica trip show it came with an approximate price tag of $162,000.
WHAT HAS THE ETHICS OFFICE SAID?
In previous statements to media, the Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner confirmed consultations occurred prior to the prime minister's vacation, but declined to provide specific details, citing confidentiality requirements.
However, spokesperson Melanie Rushworth noted that the ethics office "does not approve or 'clear' regulatees' vacations."
"The Office has a role only in ensuring that the gift provisions of the Act and Code are observed," she said.
This discrepancy in the wording, given the Liberals suggested the vacation was given the green light, prompted some debate during Wednesday's hearing and will likely be explored in more detail during the upcoming hearing.
While the question has been raised as to whether this vacation would fall under the section of the Conflict of Interest Act that states no public office-holder can accept any gift or other advantage that "might reasonably" appear to have been given to influence them, the Act does give some exception for family and friends.
IN DEPTH
Jagmeet Singh pulls NDP out of deal with Trudeau Liberals, takes aim at Poilievre Conservatives
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has pulled his party out of the supply-and-confidence agreement that had been helping keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberals in power.
'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold
Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½
NEW Health data collected from Indigenous Peoples in Canada has a dark history. One Indigenous company is turning that around
Software company Mustimuhw Information, which develops medical records systems built on a foundation of Indigenous traditions and values, is allowing health providers to capture data informed by cultural practices.
Hezbollah handed out pagers hours before blasts, even after checks: Reuters
Lebanon's Hezbollah was still handing its members new Gold Apollo branded pagers hours before thousands blew up this week, two security sources said, indicating the group was confident the devices were safe despite an ongoing sweep of electronic kit to identify threats.
Cognitive decline reduced by MIND diet, especially for women and Black people, study finds
Following the MIND diet for 10 years produced a small but significant decrease in the risk of developing thinking, concentration and memory problems, a new study found.
The province's public security minister said he was "shocked" Thursday amid reports that a body believed to be that of a 14-year-old boy was found this week near a Hells Angels hideout near Quebec City.
An Ontario man says it is 'unfair' to pay a $1,500 insurance surcharge because his four-year-old SUV is at a higher risk of being stolen.
Federal firearm buyback program has cost $67M, still not collecting guns after 4 years
The federal firearm buyback program has cost taxpayers nearly $67.2 million since it was announced in 2020, but it still hasn't collected a single gun.
No, these viral purple apples don't exist in Saskatchewan
If something looks too good to be true, it might be. That's the message from Saskatchewan horticulturists after customers have come into their stores hoping to buy purple apple trees this month.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police has lost 205 firearms since 2020, including machine-guns
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police has lost 205 firearms since 2020, including more than 120 handguns and at least five fully automatic weapons like machine-guns.
Influencer couple denies leaving kids alone on cruise
For most people, dinner on a cruise ship is a time to relax. But when influencer couple Abby and Matt Howard decided to kick back with a dinner à deux, they ended up kicking up a storm.
Local Spotlight
They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.
Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.
The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.
It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.
A Good Samaritan in New Brunswick has replaced a man's stolen bottle cart so he can continue to collect cans and bottles in his Moncton neighbourhood.
David Krumholtz, known for roles like Bernard the Elf in The Santa Clause and physicist Isidor Rabi in Oppenheimer, has spent the latter part of his summer filming horror flick Altar in Winnipeg. He says Winnipeg is the most movie-savvy town he's ever been in.
Edmontonians can count themselves lucky to ever see one tiger salamander, let alone the thousands one local woman says recently descended on her childhood home.
A daytrip to the backcountry turned into a frightening experience for a Vancouver couple this weekend.