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Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer has been at the centre of widespread speculation after claiming in his online bio to have “worked in the private sector as an insurance broker” before entering public life.
The possible future prime minister of Canada has been accused of lying about his insurance past after the Globe and Mail revealed Scheer only worked as a clerk in a Saskatchewan insurance office and was never a provincially licensed broker.
This revelation led to a complaint being filed by Liberal candidate Marco Mendicino, who asked the Saskatchewan superintendent of insurance and the chair of the Insurance Councils of Saskatchewan to investigate whether Scheer illegally promoted himself as a licensed broker.
Following multiple requests for information, the Insurance Brokers Association of Saskatchewan (IBAS) has put an end to the widespread speculation around Conservative Party leader’s insurance past.
IBAS CEO Derek Lothian issued the following statement: “Over the past two days, IBAS has received several inquiries regarding education and licensing pathways for insurance brokers in Saskatchewan — specifically, with respect to Mr. Scheer’s time in the province’s insurance industry.
“It is our understanding there has been a formal complaint issued to the General Insurance Council of Saskatchewan (GICS), which provides licensing and regulatory oversight to insurance brokers. Accordingly, with that file under review, it would be inappropriate for IBAS to comment at this time, and further questions on the matter should be directed to GICS officials.
“IBAS can confirm, however, that Mr. Scheer did complete an accredited course with IBAS that would form part of the eligibility requirements for licensing.”
When quizzed by CBC News on Monday, Scheer said he only worked in the insurance industry for “six or seven months” in a Regina office, where his duties involved “supporting the whole team … answering questions from customer and clients and doing preparatory work”. He said he left that specific agency before obtaining his full license, but that he did eventually receive “that accreditation for general insurance”.
