On December 20, 2017—just two days after Justin Trudeau assured Canadians that there were no issues with his trip—Canada’s ethics commissioner ruled that the prime minister had violated four separate provisions of the Conflict of Interest Act, specifically, sections 5, 11, 12, and 21.
Section 5 requires that a public office holder arrange his or her private affairs in a manner that will prevent the public office holder from being in a conflict of interest.
THE COMMISSIONER RULED:
Mr. Trudeau failed to meet the general duty set out in section 5 when he and his family vacationed on the Aga Khan’s private island.
Section 11 prohibits a public office holder or a member of his or her family from accepting any gift or other advantage that might reasonably be seen to have been given to influence the public office holder. Free vacations would certainly fall under this definition of a gift.
THE COMMISSIONER RULED:
I found that these gifts could reasonably be seen to have been given to influence Mr. Trudeau in the exercise of an official power, duty or function.
Section 12 prohibits ministers and members of their families from accepting travel on private aircraft unless it is required as part of the minister’s official duties.
THE COMMISSIONER RULED:
Mr. Trudeau contravened section 12 when he and his family accepted travel provided by the Aga Khan on private aircraft. The travel was not required as part of his official duties.
Section 21 requires that public office holders recuse themselves from any discussion, decision, debate, or vote on any matter in respect of which they would be in a conflict of interest.
THE COMMISSIONER RULED:
I found that Mr. Trudeau contravened section 21 when he failed to recuse himself from two discussions during which he had an opportunity to improperly further the private interests of the [Aga Khan’s] Global Centre for Pluralism.
As the ethics commissioner noted, this violation happened shortly before Mr. Trudeau’s family vacationed on the Aga Khan’s private island.
THE COMMISSIONER CONCLUDED:
Mr. Trudeau failed to arrange his private affairs in a manner that would prevent him from being placed in a conflict of interest. Neither Mr. Trudeau nor his family should have vacationed on the Aga Khan’s private island.