Conservative MPs passed an amendment to Bill C-5, which protects Canadian taxpayers and prevents Liberal conflicts of interest

Ottawa, ON – Philip Lawrence, Conservative Shadow Minister for Intergovernmental Affairs and One Canadian Economy, Inter-Provincial Trade, and Shannon Stubbs, Conservative Shadow Minister for Energy and Natural Resources, released the following statement on the Conservatives’ common sense amendment to Bill C-5:

“After a Lost Liberal Decade of bloated bureaucracy and stagnant wages, Canadians want new projects that will bring good jobs for our workers. But that can’t mean dodging critical legislation that protects taxpayers from corrupt politicians.

“Unfortunately, the government tried to do just that by including provisions in Bill C-5 which would have allowed Liberal Ministers to circumvent lobbying and conflict of interest laws.

“Yesterday, with support from opposition colleagues, Conservatives passed an amendment to safeguard these important protections – and kept our promise to fight for Canadian taxpayers. Liberals will no longer be able to circumvent the:

  • Access to Information Act,
  • Lobbying Act,
  • Canada Elections Act,
  • Criminal Code,
  • Conflict of Interest Act,
  • Investment Canada Act, 
  • Foreign Influence Transparency and Accountability Act,
  • Extractive Sector Transparency Measures Act,
  • Railway Safety Act,
  • Trade Unions Act,
  • Explosives Act,
  • Hazardous Products Act,
  • Indian Act,
  • Auditor General Act, or 
  • Official Languages Act

“Under the original Liberal proposal, projects could have been approved and built that would financially benefit members of the Cabinet. This problem is far from hypothetical: the Prime Minister himself has admitted to conflicts of interest due to his years at Brookfield Asset Management. In fact, Christiane Fox, the deputy Privy Council clerk, has said that ‘We are working very closely with the Prime Minister’s Office to manage all of the conflicts he has declared.’

“Instead of sneaking in provisions that would give themselves the power to broadly skirt the laws of the land without consequences, they should repeal the bad policies that block projects like the oil and gas cap, industrial carbon tax, C-69 and C-48.

“Conservatives will always fight to get the projects built that are truly in the national interest, and to repeal the anti-energy laws and regulations that strangle economic growth.”