Carney defends public safety minister over ethics ‘screen’
Global News
The prime minister said Gary Anandasangaree did the right thing by stepping back from national security decisions in which he could have a perceived conflict.
Prime Minister Mark Carney stood by his public safety minister on Friday, saying he had made “the right decision” to keep a distance from national security decisions in which he could appear to have a conflict of interest.
After Global News reported that Gary Anandasangaree had put up an ethics “screen” around issues related to the Tamil community, Carney praised the minister for his “standards of integrity.”
“We have a rigorous vetting process and he’s taken the right decision, in his judgment and my judgment, to make these arrangements. We will be well covered with respect to all public security decisions,” Carney said.
Anandasangaree, who is leading the government’s initiative to secure Canada’s borders amid White House tariff pressure, announced Thursday that he had effectively recused himself from decisions regarding his community.
“In an abundance of caution, and to ensure that there is no perception of any conflict, I have asked Public Safety officials to implement a screen on any national security issues relating to the Tamil community,” the minister said.
A conflict of interest screen is a preventive compliance measure mutually agreed upon by a politician and the federal ethics commissioner. It aims to help MPs avoid conflicts of interest.
The screen consists of a statement in which an elected official agrees “to abstain from any discussions, decisions, debate or votes concerning the matter that forms the subject of the conflict of interest,” according to the commissioner’s website.
The minister released the statement after Global News asked questions about his past actions and statements, some of which could put him at odds with the work of the border and national security agencies he now oversees.
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