Article content continued

“There should be no preferential access to government, or appearance of preferential access, accorded to individuals or organizations because they have made financial contributions to politicians and political parties,” it says.

Ethics commissioner Mary Dawson has pointed out she can’t conduct investigations based on the wording of those guidelines, but only based on what is contained in Canada’s conflict-of-interest laws.

That’s why the NDP want to pass legislation based on the guidelines, something they say should satisfy all parties. “They’re good rules. They should be enforced,” said the NDP’s deputy ethics critic Daniel Blaikie. “I don’t know why you would suggest rules if you don’t want to see them enforced.”

Boulerice said Trudeau’s comments were a “bizarre and strange admission,” since Liberals “have always pretended that there was no government business” at fundraisers. Some recent fundraising events have cost guests as much as $1,500 per head, for which they get to rub shoulders with Trudeau and other high-profile members of cabinet.

“Any time I meet anyone, they will have questions for me, or they will take the opportunity to talk to the prime minister about things that are important to them,” Trudeau told reporters.

Any time I meet anyone, they will have questions for me, or they will take the opportunity to talk to the prime minister about things that are important to them

“In various Liberal Party events, I listen to people as I will in any given situation, but the decisions I take in government are ones based on what is right for Canadians and not on what an individual in a fundraiser might say.”