Pierre Poilievre outlines his commitment to implementing stricter ethics rules in Canadian politics. He takes aim at Mark Carney, highlighting concerns over his wealth and assets. Poilievre’s proposals and examine the implications for transparency and accountability in government. Don’t miss out on this important discussion about ethics, leadership, and the future of Canadian politics

Video Transcript:

(00:01) [Music] as the federal election campaign intensifies conservative leader Pierre Pylra has launched a pointed offensive targeting his liberal rival Mark Carney over issues of financial ethics and transparency In a press conference held in Ottawa Pylra unveiled a sweeping set of proposed reforms aimed at tightening the rules around lobbying and financial disclosures for politicians and their close advisers Though framed as a broad accountability initiative the measures appear to have one central figure in their crosshairs Mark Carney Pylra’s
(00:47) proposal which he branded the accountability act 2.0 Zero is an updated version of the landmark law introduced by Steven Harper’s Conservative government in the aftermath of the Liberal sponsorship scandal That legislation introduced a series of ethics reforms including the creation of offices for ethics and lobbying commissioners Piv now seeks to modernize and expand that framework arguing that the political culture in Ottawa has regressed under liberal leadership and that Carney despite positioning himself
(01:18) as a responsible technocrat is emblematic of that rock At the heart of Pivra’s new package is a pledge to ban what he has termed shadow lobbying A practice he argues allows influential insiders to operate just outside the legal boundaries of registered lobbying activity while still wielding considerable behind-the-scenes influence According to Pylra a future Conservative government would compel any individual advising government officials on policy matters that intersect with their financial interests to register as a
(01:49) lobbyist even if their role is informal or unpaid The implications of this proposal are clear Had these rules been in place during the Trudeau years Carney himself would have been required to register as a lobbyist when he acted as an adviser to the prime minister and the Liberal cabinet Though Carney has never officially held elected office or a ministerial post his proximity to power and his ongoing role as a key liberal strategist have drawn scrutiny For Piva Carney’s position as both a political adviser and a high-powered investment
(02:22) executive raises troubling questions about potential conflicts of interest Questions he argues have yet to be answered Pyra did not stop at lobbying reform He also announced that under his government cabinet ministers would be required to devest from holdings located in tax havens and make full public disclosures of their financial assets Again the implied target was Carney whose financial ties to Brookfield Asset Management a global firm known to have registered subsidiaries in the Cayman Islands have drawn controversy While
(02:54) Carney has claimed to have placed his assets in a blind trust and engaged in preliminary discussions with the ethics commissioner about conflict of interest safeguards the public has yet to see any official disclosure Notably Carney has not revealed what assets were placed in the trust nor has he clarified whether those assets were devested from jurisdictions deemed problematic under international tax transparency standards For Pivra this lack of clarity isn’t just a technical oversight It’s emblematic of what he describes as an
(03:26) entrenched liberal culture of secrecy and elitism At his press conference he accused Carney of hiding from the public noting the Liberal leaders conspicuous absence from media engagement in recent days Canadians deserve to know who is influencing policy where their minister’s money is and whether the people making decisions on their behalf are personally profiting from them Pouver stated “Mark Carney’s silence is not just suspicious it’s unacceptable.
(03:57) ” Indeed Carney’s campaign has been noticeably quiet in recent days Though some of this could be chocked up to a tactical pause ahead of a pivotal stretch in the election calendar critics have seized on the silence as a deliberate attempt to avoid media scrutiny Carney has yet to hold a substantive press conference or field questions from journalists in over a week a choice that has only fueled P lever’s attacks On Friday Carney notably declined to speak with reporters after a cabinet committee meeting prompting further criticism from the conservative
(04:27) camp Carney’s supporters however have sought to deflect the criticism by arguing that Pylra himself is hardly a model of transparency The Liberal campaign dispatched a fundraising email to supporters accusing Pylra of limiting media access and evading hard questions “If anyone is hiding and trying to duck accountability from the media it is Pierre Pylra,” stated Liberal Party spokesperson Muhammad Hussein The message highlighted Pouver’s practice of capping the number of media questions he takes each day a strategy his critics
(05:01) argue allows him to avoid deeper scrutiny while maintaining tight control over messaging Still the contrast between the two leaders approaches to transparency is becoming a central theme in the election While Carney positions himself as an experienced financial expert and global statesman his campaign has been hobbled by ongoing questions about his financial interests offshore holdings and proximity to liberal power brokers Poura by contrast has leaned into the role of populist reformer seeking to channel public frustration
(05:34) into a sweeping mandate for change Whether that message will resonate with enough voters remains to be seen but it has clearly rattled the liberal establishment The dispute over ethics is not occurring in a vacuum It comes amid growing public distrust in political institutions and intensifying cynicism about the cozy relationship between political elites and corporate power For many Canadians Carney’s path from central bank governor to global investment executive to liberal leader in waiting symbolizes a revolving door
(06:06) between government and finance that undermines public confidence in impartial governance His tenure at Brookfield Asset Management a firm with substantial global holdings and a reputation for aggressive financial maneuvering has only heightened those concerns Moreover Carney’s own rhetoric has at times fueled suspicions Though he speaks passionately about fighting climate change and promoting social equity his financial dealings suggest a different set of priorities His firm’s ventures in fossil fuels private prisons
(06:39) and high-end real estate development have been flagged by critics as inconsistent with his public image Pyra has been quick to highlight this contradiction branding Carney as a man of two faces a progressive in public but a profit seeker in private This narrative that Carney cannot be trusted to put public interest ahead of private gain is central to Piva’s strategy The Conservative leader is betting that Canadians are tired of insider politics and ready for a new approach one based on clear rules full disclosure and real
(07:11) accountability His proposed reforms are designed to cast himself as a champion of clean government while portraying Carney as a symbol of everything that has gone wrong under successive Liberal government Whether Canadians will buy into that message remains uncertain Carney continues to enjoy strong support among segments of the electorate particularly in urban centers and among voters who value international experience and financial acumen His polished persona and connections to global institutions like the Bank of
(07:42) England and the United Nations lend him a degree of gravitas that few Canadian politicians can match However that same globalism can also be a liability in an age of resurgent nationalism and anti- elitist sentiment The stakes are especially high as both leaders prepare to appear on Tout Leond and Parl Quebec’s most watched political talk show With nearly a million viewers tuning in each week the program is a critical platform for federal leaders to connect with Quebec voters a demographic both Carney and Pivra are actively
(08:16) courting Their performances on the show could help shape the public’s perception of their character leadership style and fitness for office For Carney it’s a chance to reset the narrative to speak directly to voters and dispel the growing cloud of suspicion that has gathered around his financial history and political intentions For Pivra it’s an opportunity to reinforce his image as a trutht teller and disruptor someone unafraid to call out hypocrisy and demand higher standards As the campaign enters its final weeks the contrast
(08:48) between the two men will likely become even starker One represents continuity expertise and global credibility The other offers disruption reform and populist energy But at the heart of this battle is a question that goes beyond party lines or policy platforms Who can Canadians trust to govern with integrity Pierre Pivra is betting that voters will choose accountability over ambiguity Mark Carney is hoping that his record reputation and polish will be enough to overcome the growing skepticism The outcome of that bet may well determine
(09:24) not only the winner of this election but the future of ethics and transparency in Canadian politics