Nothing inappropriate about cottage stay during Liberal courtship: Carney

Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney speaks during a press conference at the National Press Theatre in Ottawa on Wednesday, January 23, 2013. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick)

OTTAWA -- Mark Carney says it wasn't inappropriate for him to vacation at the cottage of the Liberal finance critic while being courted to run for the party's leadership.

The Bank of Canada governor says he appreciates that questions were raised but insists the visit was part of his private life and private vacation.

The bank governor adds he doesn't feel required to discuss details of his private life and his interactions with friends.

The central banker stayed at Scott Brison's cottage in Nova Scotia last summer while key members of the Liberal party were courting Carney.

That raised questions about Carney's impartiality and judgment, but the central bank has said Carney did not run afoul of conflict rules.

It said bank duties were not discussed.

The friendship which began in 2004 when Carney was an associate deputy minister at Finance and Brison was the Liberal public works minister.

Carney is used to being courted, most successfully by Britain's finance minister, who has convinced him to become the next governor of the Bank of England.