(OTTAWA) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau continues to be questioned about his family vacation six years ago on the Aga Khan’s private island in the Bahamas.
Posted yesterday at 10:25 p.m.
During question period on Tuesday, acting opposition leader Candice Bergen asked whether he had used his authority as prime minister to authorize himself to accept the gifts.
A provision of the Criminal Code states that government officials cannot accept gifts from anyone with a relationship to the government unless they have received the written consent of the head of their branch of government, who in this case, would be the prime minister.
Internal RCMP documents show that an investigation was considered after details of the trip were revealed, but cite numerous reasons why this was not done: neither Parliament nor the ethics have chosen to refer the case to the police in particular.
If Mr. Trudeau gave himself written consent, there would be no case of fraud on the part of the government, the RCMP concluded, but the documents indicate that it is not known whether this is the case.
When Mme Bergen asked on Tuesday whether Mr Trudeau used this “loophole” to avoid being charged, he said no.
“The RCMP looked into this matter and there was no political interference. They came to their own conclusion: there was nothing to pursue,” Trudeau told the House.
Mme Bergen insisted, asking if Mr. Trudeau would agree to do an interview with the RCMP about the $215,000 gift. He did not answer.
The Ethics Commissioner determined in 2017 that Mr Trudeau breached conflict of interest rules and should have acknowledged that the trip would be considered a conflict.
The commissioner’s report and the information used to compile it cannot be used as evidence in court if criminal charges are laid – another reason the RCMP chose not to pursue the case.
Justin Trudeau is the first Canadian prime minister to break conflict of interest rules while in office.