Canada’s Association for the Fifty-Plus (CARP) said today there is “no truth” to serious accusations that the association had inside information about the federal government’s recent announcement regarding income trusts.

It said the political crossfire regarding who knew what, when and how about the government’s announcement has created the false allegation that there was a leak to CARP.

“The record must be set straight! At no time was CARP given an indication by the Minister’s office of when the announcement would be made or what it
would say,” CARP said in a release.

The association added there was communication between CARP and finance minister’s office beginning in September when the issue of income trusts was first raised and seniors began contacting CARP.

Phone calls closer to the announcement involved CARP’s urging the minister to end the uncertainty regarding the income trust issue, especially before the expected end of Parliament.

CARP said it was told it was important to
have certainty in the market because of a possible election, so an announcement could be coming soon.

CARP added that it had no idea of what the announcement would be, or exactly when it would come, but it was pleased that something was being done.

“This absurd accusation seems to have started with Warren Kinsella who, for some reason, ‘mused’ on his web site that ‘a seniors organization had been actually briefed by Ministerial aides on what was coming before it did’. He later cited CARP as the organization.”

CARP said it challenges Kinsella to back up his claim.