Poilievre wants changes to Conflict of Interest Act to seal 'Carney Loophole'

Article content

A Conservative government would close loopholes they say could allow the Liberal leadership frontrunner to sidestep financial disclosure rules.

Dubbing it the “Carney Loophole,” Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre said current ethics rules — which don’t include party leadership races — would potentially allow Canada’s next prime minister to serve for months without filing a financial disclosure.

“Who does the prime minister work for?” Poilievre said at a Friday morning press conference in Toronto.

“You pay his salary, he spends your money, he controls your borders, criminal laws, military, he negotiates trade agreements with foreign countries that can help or hurt your family. He makes life-or-death decisions.”

Poilievre wants to amend the rules to include party leadership races, and compel candidates to file disclosures to the ethics commissioner within 30 days of becoming a candidate, subject to public release after 60 days.

“What if he has millions of dollars of financial interests that are opposite your interests? What if he’s profiting off insider knowledge and power at your expense? What if his interests lie with foreign hostile governments that can undermine our country?” Poilievre said.

“Then he is not working for you, he is working against you.”

The Conflict of Interest Act is the backstop that prevents this — laws that Poilievre pointed out Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been twice convicted of breaking.

“That’s why we call Justin Trudeau a man of conviction, because he keeps getting convicted,” Poilievre said with a smirk.

The Conservatives accuse Carney of taking advantage of this loophole, claiming he’s holding “millions of dollars in interests that go against” Canada.

“Mr. Carney could win the leadership and become prime minister without revealing to Canadians his massive multimillion-dollar foreign holdings,” Poilievre said.

A Mark Carney campaign spokesperson told the Toronto Sun that he’s already committed to meeting and exceeding applicable ethics rules if named new Liberal leader.

“The office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner has already been contacted ahead of time to help ensure all appropriate steps can be initiated right away, and assets would be immediately placed in a blind trust,” the spokesperson said, accusing Poilievre of focusing on Carney instead of Trump’s tariff threat.

“While Pierre Poilievre is worried about facing Mark Carney, Mark is staying focused on Canadians and building the best economy in the G7.”

bpassifiume@postmedia.com