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Poilievre Promises Enhanced Financial Transparency in Politics

In a recent press conference in Ottawa, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre articulated his commitment to strengthening financial transparency regulations for elected officials. This announcement is partly aimed at Liberal Leader Mark Carney, amid growing scrutiny over his financial disclosures.

Poilievre declared that should his party assume power, they would eliminate what he refers to as “shadow lobbying.” He emphasized that his proposed measures would require anyone acting as an adviser to government officials to register as a lobbyist if their guidance relates to their financial interests or those of their companies. He suggested that if this rule had been in place, it would have mandated Carney to register when he advised former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during his tenure with the Liberal Party.

Further targeting Carney, Poilievre made it clear that he would also enforce a requirement for cabinet ministers to completely divest from tax havens and disclose their financial assets. This comes in response to criticism of Carney, who has faced questions regarding his failure to disclose certain financial details, particularly those related to his previous employment at Brookfield Asset Management, which has connections to entities based in the Cayman Islands.

Poilievre framed his proposed reforms under what he calls the “Accountability Act 2.0,” drawing a parallel to legislation previously enacted by the Harper government, which laid down crucial parliamentary ethics rules and established the roles of the ethics and lobbying commissioners.

As of now, Carney’s campaign has not provided a response to Poilievre’s allegations or proposals. Carney has previously stated that his assets are managed in a blind trust and has had ongoing discussions with the ethics commissioner about setting up a conflict of interest screen. However, the details around his blind trust remain undisclosed, with the ethics disclosure filing anticipated to be released after the current election.

Poilievre has accused Carney of “hiding from the public,” having not taken questions from the media for several days and not providing adequate information regarding his investments. When questioned on whether Carney’s campaign hiatus would have implications for his electoral success, Poilievre indicated that this is a judgment for the electorate to make.

In what could be a pivotal week for the election, Carney’s campaign is currently on pause. While breaks are relatively common in political campaigns, Carney made headlines for declining to address reporters after a cabinet committee meeting last Friday. Both Carney and Poilievre are slated to appear in Montreal for an interview on the popular Quebec talk show “Tout le monde en parle,” which is significant for party leaders aiming to connect with Quebec voters.

Carney’s proficiency in French has been scrutinized, particularly after his performance during the French-language debate in the Liberal leadership contest. The upcoming French-language debate will present a significant challenge, as he will compete against both Poilievre and Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, both of whom are known for their fluency and debating skills.

Meanwhile, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has taken his campaign to Timmins, Ontario, discussing his strategies for the northern region. The Liberals have nominated former Timmins mayor Steve Black in the riding, who faces competition from the NDP’s Nicole Fortier Levesque, formerly the mayor of Moonbeam, Ontario. Singh noted the loss of two prominent NDP incumbents, Charlie Angus and Carol Hughes, in this election cycle, which he highlighted as a significant challenge for the party.

Singh also criticized other major party leaders for not adequately addressing Indigenous issues in the election, urging them to prioritize these topics in their platforms.

Source
globalnews.ca