Conservatives ask ethics watchdog to review Carney, Telesat

OTTAWA – Conservative MP Jamil Jivani has asked Canada’s ethics commissioner to examine the connections between Prime Minister Mark Carney and Telesat CEO Dan Goldberg, whose company received a $2.3-billion federal defence contract in August, CTV News reported Nov. 3.

In a five-page letter obtained by CTV News, Jivani describes the longstanding friendship between the two men. He argues an ethics screen should be in place to prevent conflicts of interest and asked Ethics Commissioner Konrad von Finckenstein to review whether Carney has breached the Conflict of Interest Act in relation to Telesat. The letter is a request for a review. It does not establish that any breach occurred.

The Prime Minister’s Office has said Carney was not involved in or consulted on decisions about the company. Spokesperson Sofia Ouslis defended Telesat and said the government’s work with it dates back to 2017. The office did not say whether it still stands by an October statement to the Globe and Mail that Carney has not taken part in any decisions or discussions related to Telesat or Goldberg, CTV reported.

Telesat spokesperson Lynette Simmons pointed to past comments in which Goldberg said he has never asked Carney for government money, contracts or special treatment, either before or after Carney took office.

The Defence Investment Agency awarded Telesat the 15-year contract for military satellite communications in the Arctic, with options that could add $432 million, according to CTV. Telesat is the Canadian satellite operator the government has promoted as an alternative to U.S.-owned Starlink. Carney told the New York Times in September that Canada will “diversify away” from Starlink by relying on Telesat’s low-Earth-orbit constellation, expected to launch in early 2028.

Jivani wrote that an informal assurance from Carney’s office is not enough. “It is not published on your registry, it has no named administrator, and the public cannot verify how it operates,” he wrote. Carney already has ethics screens for companies where he held management or oversight roles, but not one covering Goldberg or Telesat. AI Minister Evan Solomon, who is also friends with Goldberg, is covered by a screen for both, CTV reported.

The ethics commissioner has not explained why no screen exists, and his office said confidentiality rules prevent it from commenting. The commissioner told a House of Commons ethics committee last week that the Conservatives could send a letter requesting a review.

The request comes as Telesat faces US$1.7 billion in debt due within five weeks. The company has said it cannot repay the debt and hopes to refinance it. Jivani said the deadline adds urgency because he believes it is “highly likely that the Government of Canada will need to take actions to keep Telesat solvent.” Telesat did not directly respond when asked about that comment and said it is focused on refinancing.

Our earlier report on the company’s third-quarter results covers its widening loss and the debt deadline. Parliament also faces the federal budget on Thursday, and the Conservatives have pressed the government on ethics and divestment rules before.

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