Mark Carney’s visit to Scott Brison’s vacation home

A statement from Jeremy Harrison, a spokesman for the Bank of Canada, on the governor’s visit to the home of a Liberal MP this past summer.

“During their summer vacation, the Governor and his family travelled around Nova Scotia. The Carney family spent a portion of their time staying at Scott Brison’s Cheverie vacation home. Mr. Brison and Governor Carney are personal friends, and have been so for about a decade. The visit was part of the Governor’s and his family’s personal vacation time. The Bank of Canada’s General Counsel, who is responsible for enforcing the Bank’s Conflict of Interest policy, has assessed that this visit does not breach the Bank’s Conflict of Interest guidelines in any way. Neither the Bank of Canada, nor Governor Carney, have an actual or potential commercial or business relationship with Mr. Brison. Mr. Carney’s acceptance of hospitality provided by a personal friend does not arise out of ‘activities associated with official Bank duties’. Nor can it be defined as partisan or political activity.”