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Conservatives say Champagne avoiding committee study into Alto rail connection
Conservatives say Champagne’s partner works at Alto, and they have asked the ethics commissioner to investigate a possible conflict of interest.
- On Thursday, Conservative ethics critic Michael Barrett accused Liberal MPs of blocking an ethics committee study into Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne, alleging a 12-hour filibuster prevented a vote to question the minister about his partner's role at Alto.
- Champagne's partner, Anne-Marie Gaudet, is a vice-president at Alto, the Crown corporation managing the $90-billion rail project connecting Toronto and Quebec City. Champagne claims he implemented a conflict-of-interest screen proactively "to safeguard against any real or perceived conflict of interest."
- A compliance officer in the ethics commissioner's office wrote to Champagne earlier this month that there was "no risk of a conflict." His office also noted the project's funding was allocated in 2025, before Gaudet joined the Crown corporation.
- Barrett argued the filibuster undermines "basic accountability," while the Liberals, who hold a majority on the ethics committee, could vote to change committee membership. This partisan struggle illustrates competing visions of legislative scrutiny.
- Prime Minister Mark Carney's majority government accused the opposition of "showboating" during committee proceedings earlier this week. With control over legislative agendas, the Liberals maintain leverage to influence committee outcomes, complicating Conservative efforts to force investigations.
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Mark Carney accused the opposition of "staged" and obstructing the committees.
·Montreal, Canada
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Sask Today+9 Reposted by 9 other sources
Conservatives say Champagne is avoiding committee study into Alto rail connection
OTTAWA — The Conservatives are accusing the Liberals of blocking a House of Commons committee from questioning Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne about his personal connection to the Alto high-speed rail project.
The Toronto Star+13 Reposted by 13 other sources
Conservatives say Champagne avoiding committee study into Alto rail connection
OTTAWA - The Conservatives are accusing the Liberals of trying to block a committee from questioning Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne about his connection to the high-speed rail project.
·Toronto, Canada
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources26
Leaning Left19Leaning Right1Center3Last UpdatedBias Distribution83% Left
Bias Distribution
- 83% of the sources lean Left
83% Left
L 83%
13%
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