OTTAWA—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau admitted Thursday that he travelled on the Aga Khan’s helicopter during his secret vacation to the billionaire’s private island — a revelation that he may have broken federal law and the government’s own rules on ministerial behaviour.

The disclosure by Trudeau came as he hit the road, hoping a few days of mingling with Canadians in cafés, highway rest stops and town halls will dampen controversies over cash-for-access fundraisers and his holiday vacation on the wealthy religious leader’s private isle.

Meanwhile, the ethics commissioner’s office told the Star it has started a “preliminary review” of Trudeau’s tropical vacation, after Conservative MPs asked for an investigation into whether it breached the Conflict of Interest Act.

“It’s something we look forward to discussing with the conflict of interest and ethics commissioner,” Trudeau told reporters in Kingston, adding that his office has been in contact with the government watchdog.

MORE ON THESTAR.COM

7 things you wanted to know about the Aga Khan controversy, but were afraid to ask

Trudeau reveals he rode Aga Khan’s private helicopter

Photos: Trudeau kicks off his two-day trip through Ontario

Trudeau and his staffers have repeatedly justified the trip as a “family vacation,” pointing out that the prime minister has known the Aga Khan since Trudeau was a young boy.

But the private helicopter admission follows days of stonewalling from the Prime Minister’s Office, which refused to disclose where Trudeau was vacationing during the holidays. Finally, in the face of media pressure, the PMO announced last week that Trudeau, his family and a “few friends” accepted an invitation from the Aga Khan to stay at his private island in the Bahamas.

After refusing to comment further, the PMO then confirmed a National Post report that revealed the friends who accompanied Trudeau on the trip were Newfoundland MP Seamus O’Regan, Liberal party president Anna Gainey and their spouses.

Earlier this week, Andrew Scheer and Blaine Calkins, Tory MPs from the Prairies, asked ethics commissioner Mary Dawson to investigate, claiming the trip may constitute a conflict of interest for Trudeau.

The Aga Khan is the chair of a foundation that has inked more than $300 million in international development contracts with the government since 2004. The Aga Khan Foundation Canada also has registered lobbyists who regularly deal with officials from the Ministry of Global Affairs.

Opposition critics were crying foul Thursday, arguing that the trip may have broken the law. Conservative interim leader Rona Ambrose wrote on Twitter: “All (Trudeau) had to do was say no, but he couldn’t resist the billionaire lifestyle.”

In a statement, NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair added: “This is a clear conflict of interest and it’s worrisome that the prime minister has been so evasive about the specifics of this trip.”

While O’Regan disclosed to the National Post this week that he and his husband had taken the Aga Khan’s helicopter from Nassau, the Bahamian capital, to the private Bell Island, it was not clear until Thursday how Trudeau made the same 120-kilometre trip over the open ocean.

O’Regan has not responded to interview requests from the Star this week.

In an emailed statement to the Star, Liberal party media relations manager Marjolaine Provost characterized the holiday as a “personal vacation” for Gainey and said it had no connection with her role as party president. She added that no party matters were discussed with the Aga Khan during the trip.

“It is widely known that Mme. Gainey is a longtime personal friend of Mr. Trudeau and his family,” Provost wrote.

According to the federal Conflict of Interest Act, Trudeau cannot travel on a chartered or private aircraft unless he has permission from the ethics commissioner, is required to do so in his capacity as a public office holder, or has no choice because of “exceptional circumstances.”

Commissioner’s office spokesperson Marie Danielle Vachon declined to confirm whether Trudeau had contacted the office about the trip.

In his own rules for ministerial accountability published online after the 2015 election, Trudeau outlined that ministers must not accept “sponsored travel,” including “all travel on non-commercial chartered or private aircraft for any purpose except in exceptional circumstances and only with the prior approval of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner and public disclosure of the use of such aircraft.”

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Conservative MP Alex Nuttall told the Star on Thursday that Trudeau should apologize to Canadians, many of whom he thinks would find it unbelievable that the prime minister can’t afford to pay for his own transportation on vacation.

“I think he’s completely out of touch with Canadians, and I think that’s what he’s trying to turn the page (on) now, by going on this tour,” said Nuttall.

“He needs to recognize that he’s offside with the rules that his own government has said that it will live up to.”

The PMO did not respond to questions Thursday from the Star regarding the trip. It has previously said that Trudeau and his family took a government Challenger jet to Nassau, and that the prime minister will reimburse the public for the equivalent cost of a commercial flight, according to protocol.

Spokesperson Cameron Ahmad also told the Star that Gainey, O’Regan and their spouses were not on the Challenger jet with the Trudeaus.

Other questions that the PMO has yet to answer include whether officials from the Aga Khan’s foundation in Canada were at the island during the politicians’ stay, and whether any of the organization’s registered lobbyists were there.

In his letter to the ethics commissioner on Wednesday, Conservative MP Calkins refers to a section of the Conflict of Interest Act that allows elected officials to accept gifts from friends. But Calkins argues that it’s not up to Trudeau to decide on his own definition of a “friend” under the act.

Calkins also wrote that, assuming the Aga Khan is indeed a family friend, the prime minister should recuse himself from all official government dealings with the religious leader and his organization in Canada.

Trudeau’s two-day trip through Ontario is the first of several whistle-stop tours that will take him to Quebec, the Prairies and British Columbia, all meant to paint a portrait of a prime minister mingling with the people.

Trudeau rolled out of downtown Ottawa early Thursday, making his first stop at Miller’s Café in Manotick, where patrons sipped coffee, ate pastries and, for a short time, talked politics with the prime minister.

“I loved it,” head cook Kerry Crosby said after meeting Trudeau.

But not all were impressed with Trudeau or the idea of his campaign-style tour. Dave Emery, who voted for Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre in the riding in 2015, said he is not surprised taxpayers are footing the bill for Trudeau’s outreach trip.

“It certainly gives him an advantage in any kind of an election campaign,” said Emery.

“Is it fair? I guess the Conservatives did it, too … I don’t think he plays as an everyday man. He’s obviously lived a life of luxury.”

Read more about: