OTTAWA — Marc-André Blanchard, chief of staff to Prime Minister Mark Carney, faced criticism from Conservative lawmakers on Thursday for comparing Carney's conflicts of interest to those of former chief of staff Nigel Wright. Blanchard was one of two senior public servants who testified at an ethics committee meeting this week regarding the review of the Conflict of Interest Act.

In his opening remarks, Blanchard defended Carney's extensive experience in both public and private sectors, stating, "Canadians chose Mark Carney as prime minister because of his deep experience in both the public and private sectors. In fact, they did not elect him in spite of his vast global private sector experience, but precisely because of it." He emphasized that this experience is essential for building a resilient economy.

Before entering politics, Carney served as chairman of Brookfield Asset Management, which manages approximately $1 trillion in assets. He also played a key role in raising capital for Brookfield's clean energy funds and was a board member at Stripe. Upon becoming Liberal leader in March, Carney placed all his assets, except for personal real estate, into a blind trust. In July, the federal ethics commissioner ruled that he must adhere to an ethics screen involving over 100 companies to avoid conflicts of interest.

Wright, who passed away in September, had a similar background. He joined Harper's office in 2010 after a lengthy private sector career and also placed his assets in a blind trust. He was subject to an ethics screen to prevent involvement in discussions related to his former employer, Onex. At the time, opposition members humorously noted that Wright could not even order pizza for the prime minister's office due to potential conflicts.

Blanchard stated, "It’s exactly the same kind of case situation that you have with Prime Minister Carney," referencing Wright's situation multiple times during the committee meeting. However, Conservative ethics critic Michael Barrett countered that Wright was not the head of government, unlike Carney. Barrett remarked, "The chief of staff to the prime minister is not the prime minister, and the chief of staff to the prime minister does not have the ability to take the decisions and does not have the influence that the prime minister has."

Conservative MP Shuv Majumdar defended Wright, calling him "one of the most ethical people" he knew. He noted that the firm Wright represented was more narrowly focused compared to the broader scope of Carney's former firm, which impacts various sectors across the country. Majumdar stated, "I think it’s a very different standard for the prime minister who decides versus a very senior advisor who advises."

During the committee session, Michael Sabia, the clerk of the Privy Council and another administrator of Carney's ethics screen, revealed that 13 potential conflicts of interest had been flagged since Carney took office in July. Sabia defended the ethics process, asserting it is as rigorous as in the private sector. He explained, "If there appears to be even a remote possibility that the screen may be needed, it is immediately put in place. Why? So that we always err on the side of caution."

Sabia reported that seven of the flagged files were deemed not applicable for the ethics screen. Five had no direct interaction with the listed corporate entities, while two were general fiscal measures. For six files, the ethics screen was applied, meaning Carney cannot be informed of discussions regarding them until decisions are finalized and made public. Sabia noted that discussions on these matters are ongoing, preventing him from sharing further details.

He mentioned that two instances where the screen was applied involved cross-border adjustments and a minor personal income tax change, but did not elaborate on those changes. Bloc Québécois MP Luc Thériault raised concerns about the budget implementation act, which includes tax credits for small modular nuclear reactors, noting that Brookfield holds a majority stake in Westinghouse, one of the few companies producing them. Blanchard clarified that the ethics screen does not need to be triggered for matters of "general application," which affect all Canadians or taxpayers. He also stated that Carney applies strict ethical rules for his personal communications, including messages from U.S. President Donald Trump.