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Sponsored travel accepted by MPs returns to historical levels

NEWS RELEASE

Ottawa, April 8, 2024


Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner Konrad von Finckenstein has released the List of Sponsored Travel 2023. It was tabled today in the House of Commons.

Last year, Members of the House of Commons accepted 93 sponsored trips—two thirds more than in 2022—with a combined declared value of $847,828.22. On average, Members accepted 83 sponsored trips a year from 2007 to 2019. In the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, the average was just 7.

The Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of Commons allows Members to accept sponsored travel for themselves and their guests. It is any travel worth more than $200 that is not fully paid by the government, a political party, a recognized parliamentary association or the Members.

QUOTES FROM COMMISSIONER VO​​N FINCKENSTEIN

“The Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of Commons permits sponsored travel. It's up to each Member to decide whether to accept such trips. They must disclose their trips to the Office, and we make that information public."

“The annual list of sponsored travel supports transparency and public trust in Parliament. It allows Canadians to see at a glance, in a single document, which Members of the House of Commons have gone on sponsored trips, for what reason, who sponsored those trips, and each trip's value."

Addition​al Facts 

  • Sponsored travel is governed by section 15 of the Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of Commons.

  • The Commissioner does not approve Members' sponsored travel. The Public Statement of Sponsored Travel by Members identifies the information they must provide to the Office within 60 days after the end of the trip. Ministers and parliamentary secretaries are not allowed to accept sponsored travel, as stated in the Prime Minister's guidance document, Open and Accountable Government.

  • Sponsored trips are not considered gifts, so the Code's gift rule​ does not apply. Under that rule, Members are not allowed to accept gifts or other benefits that might reasonably be seen to have been given to influence them. They must disclose all benefits, including gifts, they receive during sponsored trips.

  • The Office posts information about sponsored trips in the public registry throughout the year. It also compiles a list of all trips for each calendar year for the Commissioner to provide to the Speaker of the House of Commons by March 31 of the following year. Then the Speaker tables it in the House.

  • The Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner was created under the Federal Accountability Act. The Commissioner applies the Conflict of Interest Act for public office holders and the Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of Commons.  

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The List of Sponsored Tra​vel 2023 is available in HTML and PDF formats and, on request, as an Excel spreadsheet.

For more information, please call 613-995-0721 or send us an email.


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