Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne is facing renewed scrutiny after acknowledging to senators that he played a hands-on role in advancing a proposed high-speed rail project in Québec, despite earlier claims he had recused himself over a potential conflict of interest tied to his wife’s employment.Blacklock's Reporter says testifying before a Senate committee on March 10, Champagne described years of advocacy to ensure the rail line would include a stop in Trois-Rivières, calling it a top regional priority dating back to his first election in 2015. He went further, telling senators “we got the train through Trois-Rivières,” portraying the development as a significant win for the Mauricie and Centre-du-Québec regions.The remarks appear to contradict assertions from Champagne’s office that he had no involvement in matters related to Alto Corp., the Crown agency behind the proposed $90 billion rail project, after his wife, Anne-Marie Gaudet, took a senior role there.Under Canada’s Conflict of Interest Act, cabinet ministers are prohibited from participating in decisions where they know — or reasonably should know — they could be in a conflict of interest, including situations that could benefit relatives. The law also bars the use of insider information to advance private interests.Despite those provisions, Champagne spoke in detail about efforts to advance the project, including securing regional routing decisions. At no point in his testimony did he reference his wife’s position with Alto..The controversy deepens as it emerges that Gaudet joined Alto while the Department of Finance was drafting legislation affecting the agency. The 2025 omnibus budget bill, known as Bill C-15, included the High Speed Rail Network Act, which granted the Crown corporation expanded expropriation powers to push forward an էլectrified corridor through Ontario and Québec.Opposition MPs are now calling for a formal probe. Conservative MP Michael Barrett said the situation demands answers, adding Parliament must determine whether conflict of interest rules were breached.This is not the first time Champagne has faced questions over potential conflicts. During his tenure as foreign affairs minister in 2019, he held $1.2 million in mortgages with the state-owned Bank of China tied to rental properties in the United Kingdom. The loans coincided with Canada exploring a possible free trade agreement with China, prompting criticism from opposition MPs at the time.Champagne later refinanced those mortgages through the National Bank of Canada following political backlash, but the latest revelations are likely to intensify pressure on the minister as questions mount over his conduct in office.
