Sale of shares not an admission of conflict of interest, says Morneau

OTTAWA – Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau says donating the money he made from shares in his family business since taking office is not an admission that he was in a conflict of interest by controlling the shares.

Morneau told Global TV's political talk show The West Block, which aired today, he made the move simply to give Canadians added reassurance that he isn't in politics for his own benefit.

The minister vowed Thursday to donate to charity the difference in the value of his shares in Morneau Shepell between the date he was elected in October 2015 and the day they're sold.

He made the pledge after days of allegations from his political rivals that he was in a conflict of interest over his sponsorship of a pension bill that could benefit Morneau Shepell, a human resources and pension management firm he helped build with his father.

In a separate interview aired on CTV's Question Period, Morneau said he didn't believe he was in a conflict by introducing C-27, which proposes changes to private pension plans — legislation that could benefit Morneau Shepell.

On Thursday, Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson told New Democrat MP Nathan Cullen she would investigate his concerns that Morneau's sponsorship of the proposed law may violate the Conflict of Interest Act, and report back to him.