Trudeau Jamaica Vacation Didn’t Break Rules, Ethics Commission Tells Committee

Trudeau smiles at the media before a news conference for a housing announcement in Vancouver, B.C., Dec. 15, 2023. The Canadian Press/Ethan Cairns

Canada’s Interim Ethics Commissioner Konrad von Finckenstein says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did not break any rules around gifts and travel for elected officials when vacationing at a family friend’s house in Jamaica, as conflict-of-interest rules allow for exceptions for gifts or travel given by friends.

“If someone is a friend, they can offer a gift to a public officer in a personal context and the gift does not need to be disclosed,” the ethics commissioner testified at the House of Commons ethics committee on Jan. 30.

The prime minister came under fire in the new year following reports that he and his family vacationed in Jamaica over the Christmas holidays in a $9,300-a-night luxury villa, with costs totaling $84,000 for nine nights. The location is part of the Prospect Estate resort owned by the Green family, who are long-time family friends of the Trudeaus.

While the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) initially said Mr. Trudeau’s family would pay for the vacation, it later clarified on Jan. 3 that the family would stay “at no cost at a location owned by family friends.” This contradictory information led the House of Commons ethics committee to vote unanimously on Jan. 17 to invite Mr. von Finckenstein to discuss the incident and rules around travel and gifts.

At the committee, Mr. von Finckenstein said the Conflict of Interest Act stated that office-holders must disclose gifts valued at $200 or more 30 days after they are received, but this does not apply if the gift is received from a friend or family member.

“We work to verify the true depths of a friendship asserted,” he added.

Mr. von Finckenstein said his office does not “approve travel destinations” but it gives advice as to whether gifts are acceptable or if they could break rules around conflict of interest.

When Conservative MP Michael Barrett asked whether Mr. von Finckenstein was satisfied that the gift had not come from an entity or corporation, the ethics commissioner said he was.

“We verify allegations of friendship, we do our research ... and what we found ourselves are coincident with the fact that this is a true friend with no relations to the Government of Canada,” he said.

The prime minister was previously found to have violated conflict-of-interest rules when he travelled to the Aga Khan’s private island in the Bahamas after Christmas Day in 2016. The Aga Khan has a long-standing relationship with the Canadian government, which has provided nearly $330 million since 1981 to projects supported by his foundation.

Former Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson ruled that the prime minister broke the law prohibiting ministers from accepting gifts or could be seen as trying to influence government business. Mr. Trudeau later apologized and said he would report future trips to the ethics commissioner.