New report poses a critical test for integrity in high office amid calls for urgent reforms to close loopholes in the ethics law and enhance transparency in governance.

By Sam Cooper for the Bureau News

In Brief by Probe International

A groundbreaking parliamentary ethics report has issued a stunning ultimatum: Prime Minister Mark Carney and all future prime ministers must divest their investments within 60 days of taking office. This recommendation is fueled by alarming revelations about Carney’s ties to China and visits from high-ranking Chinese Communist Party officials, as exposed by investigative reporting from The Bureau.

Duff Conacher, from the ethics watchdog Democracy Watch, hailed the report as a critical call to action for the Liberal majority government. He stated, “The committee’s report should be applauded and acted on,” emphasizing the urgent need to close significant loopholes in the ethics law and enhance the independence and transparency of the ethics commissioner.

If enacted, these recommendations would force Carney to sell his investments in Brookfield and other companies that pose serious financial conflicts of interest. Moreover, several Cabinet ministers and top officials would also be compelled to divest from conflicting businesses, marking a pivotal move toward ethical governance.

Conacher framed the report as a direct test of Carney’s integrity: “Will he continue to blow smoke about his ongoing financial conflicts and hide behind a loophole-filled ethics law, or will he implement the changes needed to effectively prevent conflicts of interest?” He warned that the political consequences of inaction are dire. If the Liberals choose to ignore the report, they ar signalling to voters their acceptance of unethical financial conflicts that corrupt critical decision-making and undermine Canada’s democracy.

Read the original version of this report at the publisher’s website here.