House ethics committee votes to question finance minister on Alto connection

Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne speaks with reporters before cabinet on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Tuesday, April 21, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

OTTAWA — Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne will appear before the House ethics committee to answer questions about his connection to the Alto high-speed rail project.

The Liberal members of the committee dragged out debate for hours over whether Champagne and the ethics commissioner would be called in for questioning.

The minister recused himself from decisions about the high-speed rail project last September, a month after his partner became a vice-president at Alto.

The Crown corporation is responsible for the proposed $90 billion high-speed rail project between Toronto and Quebec City.

The ethics commissioner has written to Champagne to say that he is not in a conflict of interest.

Conservative ethics critic Michael Barrett says that shows the country’s conflict of interest rules are not robust enough.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 21, 2026

Sarah Ritchie, The Canadian Press