Questions raised about Trudeau meeting, Carney swearing-in attendance, Schiefke appearance at industry event

Bloc Québécois and Conservative MPs this week called for an ethics committee investigation into the Canada Truck Operators Association (CTOA), raising questions about the organization’s access to senior Liberal politicians and its role in debates surrounding the controversial Driver Inc. business model.

The issue surfaced during a meeting of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics, in which Bloc MP Xavier Barsalou-Duval urged the committee to examine CTOA’s relationship with government, citing a reported meeting with former prime minister Justin Trudeau, the presence of CTOA spokesman Tej Dulat at Prime Minister Mark Carney’s swearing-in ceremony, and the participation of Transport Committee chairman Peter Schiefke at a CTOA meeting earlier this year.

“We need to focus on transparency,” Barsalou-Duval told the committee as he argued for a study into the organization’s interactions with government officials.

The debate comes amid an ongoing parliamentary examination of Driver Inc., a business model critics say misclassifies employee drivers as independent contractors, allowing some carriers to avoid payroll taxes, benefits and other employer obligations.

Lobbying claim challenged

Both Barsalou-Duval and Conservative MP Gabriel Hardy questioned whether CTOA was lobbying the government without being registered. However, in response to questions from trucknews.com, Dulat said CTOA has been registered under the federal Lobbying Act since Nov. 10, 2025, a claim supported by federal records.

“For the record, CTOA is a registered federal lobbying organization, active since Nov. 10, 2025. Any suggestion that CTOA is not registered is incorrect,” Dulat wrote.

Federal lobbying records identify Dulat as CTOA’s director of public affairs and the responsible officer for the registration.

The registration does not address questions raised by MPs regarding meetings or activities that may have occurred before the organization registered.

Questions about political access

During committee debate, Barsalou-Duval said documents obtained through the House transport committee showed CTOA representatives met directly with then-prime minister Trudeau on Oct. 25, 2024. He questioned why the Prime Minister’s Office reportedly produced no documents related to the meeting when records were requested through committee proceedings.

The Bloc MP also pointed to Dulat’s attendance at Carney’s swearing-in ceremony, suggesting it demonstrated an unusually close relationship between CTOA and senior Liberal figures.

Hardy echoed those concerns, telling the committee that CTOA appeared to enjoy access unavailable to other trucking organizations while remaining at the center of debates surrounding Driver Inc. enforcement.

Neither MP presented evidence of wrongdoing by CTOA, Dulat, Trudeau, Carney or government officials.

When asked by trucknews.com whether CTOA had met directly with Trudeau, whether Dulat attended the Oct. 25, 2024, meeting referenced by MPs, whether he attended Carney’s swearing-in ceremony, or whether he has any relationship with Carney outside of CTOA activities, Dulat declined to answer.

“Questions touching on legal interpretations, internal organizational details, or ongoing parliamentary proceedings are not matters we will be addressing through media channels,” he wrote.

Schiefke appearance draws scrutiny

Another focus of the debate was the participation of Peter Schiefke, Liberal MP and chairman of the House Transport Committee, at a CTOA meeting in Montreal this spring.

Barsalou-Duval questioned whether it was appropriate for the chairman of the committee studying Driver Inc. to appear at an event hosted by an organization widely viewed by critics as defending carriers associated with the model.

CTOA publicly promoted Schiefke’s participation at its April conference, which the association said attracted more than 600 industry representatives, policymakers and stakeholders. In conference materials, Schiefke was identified as chairman of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities.

Barsalou-Duval also raised questions about Quebec carrier Safex, based on Schiefke’s riding, alleging company principals had made substantial donations to the Liberal Party and questioning whether political contributions could have influenced access to government officials.

No evidence was presented linking political donations to preferential treatment.

CTOA points to advocacy work

While declining to address specific allegations raised in committee, Dulat said CTOA’s focus remains on issues affecting trucking companies and drivers.

“What CTOA is focused on, and what we would welcome the opportunity to discuss on the record, is the work we are actually doing: road safety, driver training standards, compliance workshops, cargo theft prevention, driver mental health, insurance pressures, fair enforcement, and the day-to-day realities facing small and mid-sized carriers across Canada,” he wrote.

Dulat added that CTOA supports strong enforcement against unsafe and noncompliant operators.

“At the same time, we believe policy and enforcement must be fair, evidence-based, and informed by the real conditions facing responsible operators, drivers, and small businesses on the ground.”

Debate shut down

The proposed ethics committee study never advanced.

Liberal MP Bardish Chagger dismissed the allegations as “baseless accusations” and argued the committee should focus on its existing mandate rather than disputes arising from other parliamentary committees.

Chagger subsequently moved to adjourn debate on the motion, a move supported by Liberal members of the committee. The motion passed, ending discussion of the proposed study.

For now, questions raised by opposition MPs about CTOA’s access to government remain unanswered, while the broader Driver Inc. debate continues both on Parliament Hill and across Canada’s trucking industry.