Carney’s closed-door fundraisers a ‘step back’ for ethics: expert

By Canadian Press on February 18, 2026.

OTTAWA — The Liberal party’s decision to hold closed-door fundraisers under Prime Minister Mark Carney’s leadership is a “step back,” says an expert in political ethics.

Carney is attending a Liberal fundraiser at a private residence in Vancouver tonight and tickets cost $1,775.

The decision to block media from Carney’s fundraisers marks a shift from the approach under former prime minister Justin Trudeau, who in recent years allowed media to listen to opening remarks and observe participants at his fundraising events.

The Liberals announced in 2017 that they would stop holding closed fundraisers in private homes and, in 2018, passed legislation requiring political parties to publicly advertise fundraising events attended by ministers, party leaders or leadership candidates priced at more than $200, and to post a list of attendees afterward.

In 2024, the Toronto Star reported that the Liberals planned to reverse course and resume holding fundraisers in private homes in an effort to catch up to the Conservatives ahead of the federal election.

Ian Stedman, associate professor at York University’s school of public policy and administration and a former employee of Ontario’s Integrity Commissioner, says the Liberals’ move to restrict access to fundraising events is “deserving of scrutiny.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 18, 2026.

Catherine Morrison, The Canadian Press