Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer called on Justin Trudeau to resign Wednesday, saying former attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould91裸聊视频檚 troubling testimony about SNC-Lavalin proved the prime minister has lost the moral authority to govern.
Scheer threw down the gauntlet immediately after a three-hour Commons91裸聊视频� justice committee meeting in which Wilson-Raybould said she felt pressure from Trudeau and others to head off a criminal prosecution of Montreal engineering firm SNC-Lavalin.
91裸聊视频淛ustin Trudeau simply cannot continue to govern this country now that Canadians know what he has done,91裸聊视频� Scheer said. 91裸聊视频淎nd that is why I am calling on Mr. Trudeau to do the right thing and to resign.91裸聊视频�
But Trudeau quickly rebuffed Scheer91裸聊视频檚 demand as he touted his government91裸聊视频檚 record defending jobs and 91裸聊视频渢he independence of our judiciary,91裸聊视频� adding Canadians will decide later this year whether to re-elect the Liberals or hand power to the Conservatives.
The back-and-forth marked the latest escalation in what has already been the most explosive political challenge facing the Trudeau government during its more than three years in power. The Official Opposition very rarely calls on a prime minister to resign.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said Wilson-Raybould91裸聊视频檚 testimony underscored his party91裸聊视频檚 calls for an independent inquiry to find out the truth of what happened between the former attorney general and members of Trudeau91裸聊视频檚 inner circle.
During her testimony, Wilson-Raybould told the committee that she withstood four months of relentless pressure to reverse a decision not to make a plea-bargain-type deal with SNC-Lavalin. She said the pressure came from Trudeau and other senior Liberal officials.
Wilson-Raybould told the committee that she believed the pressure, which also included 91裸聊视频渧eiled threats91裸聊视频� from the country91裸聊视频檚 top civil servant, Privy Council clerk Michael Wernick, was inappropriate. But she added she did not think it was illegal.
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Scheer nonetheless demanded Trudeau91裸聊视频檚 resignation and called for the RCMP to launch a criminal investigation into what the Liberal government did to help SNC-Lavalin, which is facing criminal charges related to allegedly corrupt dealings in Libya.
91裸聊视频淛ody Wilson-Raybould tells the story of a prime minister who has lost the moral authority to govern,91裸聊视频� Scheer said.
91裸聊视频淎 prime minister who allows his partisan, political motivations to overrule his duty to uphold the rule of law. A prime minister who doesn91裸聊视频檛 know where the Liberal Party ends and where the government of Canada begins.91裸聊视频�
The Conservative leader also called for Wernick to resign and encouraged the Liberal cabinet, which is scheduled to present a federal budget next month, to find a way to govern the country in a non-partisan way without the prime minister.
Scheer did not say what he would do if Trudeau refused to resign, such as calling a non-confidence vote.
For his part, Singh said Wilson-Raybould91裸聊视频檚 testimony painted a picture of a prime minister and other members of government who were willing to disregard the rule of law and were more interested in helping powerful friends than average Canadians.
While the NDP leader said Trudeau and others may eventually have to step down, he said that determination should come after a public inquiry is held to get the bottom of what really happened.
Trudeau, however, indicated during a Liberal party event in Montreal a short time later that he had no intention of resigning. He rejected Wilson-Raybould91裸聊视频檚 version of events, saying he and his staff 91裸聊视频渁lways acted appropriately and professionally.91裸聊视频�
He said Canadians will have 91裸聊视频渁 very clear choice in a few months91裸聊视频� in the October election about who they want to form government.
91裸聊视频淭here will be a clear choice to be made between the Liberal Party, this government that 91裸聊视频� has consistently stood up for Canadian jobs, consistently defended Canadian jobs while defending our institutions and the independence of our judiciary,91裸聊视频� he said.
91裸聊视频淎nd on the other hand there is a choice of the party that is still very much the party of Stephen Harper. That continues to attack, to divide, to play politics with big issues and (thinks) the best way to create economic growth is still to give advantages to the wealthiest.
The Canadian Press
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