Champagne says he followed ethics rules on Alto rail project

Finance Minister FrançoisPhilippe Champagne told a parliamentary ethics committee that he followed conflictofinterest rules in relation to the Alto highspeed rail project. Champagne said he contacted the federal ethics commissioner after someone close to him received a job offer with the Crown corporation leading the TorontotoQuebec City rail plan. He said he was told there was no conflict risk, but he still set up a screen to avoid decisions tied to Alto. Ethics Commissioner Konrad von Finckenstein backed that account, saying Champagne’s role in any decisions affecting Alto was too indirect to create an opportunity to benefit a person with close ties to the minister. The hearing came after months of Conservative criticism over Champagne’s involvement in the proposed $90billion project, which remains in the planning stage.