Ethics watchdog rules out investigating Trudeau’s recent holiday trip to Jamaica

OTTAWA — The federal ethics watchdog is ruling out an investigation into Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s recent vacation to Jamaica, despite calls from opposition parties who say “lavish” trips should not be gifted, even if they’re from friends.

Konrad von Finkenstein told a House of Commons ethics committee Tuesday that he considers the case closed.

Under the Conflict of Interest Act, von Finkenstein can’t publicly disclose conversations he had with the prime minister, but he said that Trudeau’s stay in Jamaica was acceptable because it came from a friend with whom he has a “true depth of friendship.”

The interim ethics commissioner said that if Trudeau’s trip was unacceptable, it would’ve been recorded on his office’s website — and nothing is there.

Trudeau’s office said earlier this month that the family’s stay was offered at no cost, after previously stating that the family would be covering the cost of their accommodation.

“There’s nothing to further it. If there had been something that needed to be disclosed, it would have been disclosed,” von Finkenstein said.

“We were advised, we gave advice. The prime minister obviously took the advice and followed it. What he or his spokesman says publicly is not under my control and I have no comment (to put) forward about it.”

The Conflict of Interest Act allows politicians to accept gifts and other advantages only from relatives or family friends with whom they have a well-documented close bond. Trudeau ran afoul of that rule when he was a guest of the Aga Khan in late 2016.

While the act does not offer a limit on the value of such gifts, von Finkenstein does have the purview to investigate gifts from friends in exceptional circumstances — like if a politician was gifted a $1-million Ferrari.

“If it was an absolute extraordinary gift, like a million-dollar car, I can always, if I want to, say, ‘This is so unusual I have trouble accepting that you’re good friends that you give each other one million dollar gifts,'” von Finkenstein said.

He said he doesn’t view Trudeau’s Jamaica vacation as meeting that threshold.

Earlier this month, the National Post reported that Trudeau was staying at a luxury estate owned by his longtime friend Peter Green.

The Canadian Press has not independently verified the information, and officials have declined to confirm where Trudeau was staying.

The prime minister stated that Green has been a family friend for more than 50 years, von Finkenstein said, and that their visits date back to Trudeau’s childhood.

Green is also a godfather to one of Trudeau’s children.

“Is there enough here to believe something needs to be investigated? No, it does not,” von Finkenstein said Tuesday.

The Conservatives and NDP still argue an investigation should occur, although no formal complaints have been lodged.

Conservative ethics critic Michael Barrett said it’s not reasonable for a prime minister to accept what he called an extravagant gift at a “luxury villa.”

He said the commissioner “heard what we had to say about that today and perhaps he’ll give it a second thought.”

NDP MP Matthew Green also said the trip was “lavish,” and argued more reforms are needed within the Conflict of Interest Act.

“It shows the loopholes, and (von Finkenstein’s) testimony today was that he was simply following the act,” Green said.

“Any commissioner we put into that position is only going to continue to interpret the act as it’s written, and it’s our responsibility as a committee to come up with better legislation.”

On Tuesday, members of the committee unanimously agreed to ask the procedure and House affairs committee and the board of internal economy to look into banning sponsored travel for MPs, but they left out the mention of gifts.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 30, 2024.

Mickey Djuric, The Canadian Press