Prime Minister Justin Trudeau violated the Conflict of Interest Act by improperly pressuring former attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould to halt the criminal prosecution of SNC-Lavalin, Canada91裸聊视频檚 ethics watchdog declared Wednesday 91裸聊视频� a bombshell report that leaves a substantial crater in the Liberal government91裸聊视频檚 road to re-election.
Mario Dion concluded that Trudeau91裸聊视频檚 attempts to influence Wilson-Raybould on the matter contravened section 9 of the act, which prohibits public office holders from using their position to try to influence a decision that would improperly further the private interests of a third party.
But Trudeau, who said he accepted both Dion91裸聊视频檚 report and full responsibility for what happened, stood his ground Wednesday on one particular matter: that he shouldn91裸聊视频檛 be having contact with his attorney general when the well-being of Canadians is at stake.
Dion found little doubt that SNC-Lavalin would have benefited had Trudeau succeeded in convincing Wilson-Raybould to overturn a decision by the director of public prosecutions, who had refused to invite the Montreal engineering giant to negotiate a remediation agreement in order to avoid a criminal prosecution on fraud charges related to contracts in Libya.
91裸聊视频淭he prime minister, directly and through his senior officials, used various means to exert influence over Ms. Wilson-Raybould. The authority of the prime minister and his office was used to circumvent, undermine and ultimately attempt to discredit the decision of the director of public prosecutions as well as the authority of Ms. Wilson-Raybould as the Crown91裸聊视频檚 chief law officer,91裸聊视频� Dion wrote.
91裸聊视频淏ecause SNC-Lavalin overwhelmingly stood to benefit from Ms. Wilson-Raybould91裸聊视频檚 intervention, I have no doubt that the result of Mr. Trudeau91裸聊视频檚 influence would have furthered SNC-Lavalin91裸聊视频檚 interests. The actions that sought to further these interests were improper since the actions were contrary to the constitutional principles of prosecutorial independence and the rule of law.91裸聊视频�
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Trudeau, who has long insisted he had the economic interests of the country at heart, stopped well short of offering Wilson-Raybould an apology.
91裸聊视频淲hat happened over the past year shouldn91裸聊视频檛 have happened,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淲e need to make sure that my government or any government going forward isn91裸聊视频檛 in that position again.91裸聊视频�
But he added: 91裸聊视频淭aking responsibility means recognizing that what we did over the last year wasn91裸聊视频檛 good enough, but I can91裸聊视频檛 apologize for standing up for Canadian jobs because that91裸聊视频檚 part of what Canadians expect me to do.91裸聊视频�
Dion said Trudeau also improperly pushed Wilson-Raybould to consider partisan political interests in the matter, concluding that the prime minister and his staff 91裸聊视频渧iewed the matter chiefly through a political lens to manage a legal issue91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频� despite Trudeau91裸聊视频檚 protestations to the contrary.
According to Dion, who interviewed Trudeau and received a written submission from him, the prime minister91裸聊视频檚 legal counsel argued that he was concerned solely about the public interest, not with the potential political fallout or SNC91裸聊视频檚 financial situation.
91裸聊视频淗is concern was, at all times, with the public interest, with the potential impact of a conviction on SNC-Lavalin on its employees, pensioners and suppliers, and that those interests be properly taken into account in prosecutorial decisions,91裸聊视频� the report says.
Trudeau acknowledged having mentioned to Wilson-Raybould during one discussion on the matter last September in the midst of a Quebec provincial election, that he was an MP from a Montreal riding. But Dion said he maintained 91裸聊视频渢his was an attempt to convey to the Attorney General that real people and real communities would be affected by her decision.91裸聊视频�
Wilson-Raybould in February over the affair. Friend and cabinet ally Jane Philpott resigned soon after.
Trudeau subsequently kicked both women out of the Liberal caucus. They are running for re-election as independent candidates.
Wilson-Raybould calls report 91裸聊视频榲indication91裸聊视频�
In a statement, Wilson-Raybould said Doin91裸聊视频檚 report is a 91裸聊视频渧indication91裸聊视频� for the indepence of the attorney general and the director of criminal prosecutions.
91裸聊视频淭he report confirms critical facts, consistent with what I shared with all Canadians, and affirms the position I have taken from the outset,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淭he commissioner was not distracted by inaccurate information about the events or about me personally 91裸聊视频� and drew conclusions based on the true facts of what occurred.91裸聊视频�
Trudeau91裸聊视频檚 political rivals, all of whom are jockeying for position with the start of an election campaign now just weeks away, wasted little time in seizing on what appeared to be a golden opportunity.
Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said Trudeau is 91裸聊视频渢he only PM in history to be found guilty of breaking federal ethics law not once, but twice,91裸聊视频� referring to the PM91裸聊视频檚 all-expense-paid family trip at the Aga Khan91裸聊视频檚 private island in 2016.
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91裸聊视频淗is first violation 91裸聊视频� was shocking. This one is unforgivable,91裸聊视频� Scheer said at a news conference in Regina, adding that Dion has unearthed enough evidence to warrant an RCMP investigation.
91裸聊视频淲hat we have now is a true picture of who Justin Trudeau is 91裸聊视频� Time and time again, he has used the power of his office to enrich himself, reward his friends and punish his critics.91裸聊视频�
NDP ethics critic Charlie Angus described the report as a 91裸聊视频減olitical bombshell.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淭he prime minister91裸聊视频檚 fundamental job to Canadians is to assure them that the rule of law will be respected,91裸聊视频� Angus said. 91裸聊视频淚 can91裸聊视频檛 think of a precedent of this happening before. The prime minister has been found guilty of a very, very serious interference in the legal processes of Canada.91裸聊视频�
Dion also made a point of noting that due to the confidentiality obligations that govern cabinet documents and discussions 91裸聊视频� obligations that were partially waived by the Prime Minister91裸聊视频檚 Office at the height of the scandal, to allow Wilson-Raybould to testify 91裸聊视频� he wasn91裸聊视频檛 able to access all the necessary materials.
91裸聊视频淭he decision made by the Privy Council Office to deny our office access to a full range of cabinet confidences meant nine witnesses were constrained in providing our office with the full body of evidence potentially relevant to the examination,91裸聊视频� he wrote.
91裸聊视频淚 believe that decisions relating to my access to such information should be made transparently and democratically by Parliament, not by the very same public office holders who are subject to the regime I administer.91裸聊视频�
Dion absolved senior PMO staffers, bureaucrats and others who allegedly pressured Wilson-Raybould of any wrongdoing. He said they all 91裸聊视频渁cted in accordance with the general direction set by Mr. Trudeau91裸聊视频� and that the prime minister was 91裸聊视频渢he only public office holder who, by virtue of his position, could clearly exert influence over Ms. Wilson-Raybould.
Feds release McLellan report same day
Trudeau91裸聊视频檚 office simultaneously released Wednesday a report by former Liberal cabinet minister Anne McLellan, who served as justice minister and attorney general in the Chretien government. Trudeau had asked her to analyse questions raised by the SNC controversy 91裸聊视频� including whether the role of justice minister, who is involved in political and policy decisions of government, should be separated from that of the attorney general, who is supposed to exercise independent, non-partisan judgment about prosecutions.
McLellan concluded that no structural change is required. But she recommended that a detailed protocol be developed to govern how ministers, staffers and bureaucrats consult with an attorney general about specific prosecutions.
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91裸聊视频淚t is clear to me that there is no system for managing prosecutorial decisions that absolutely protects against the possibility of partisan interference, while providing for public accountability,91裸聊视频� she wrote.
The Canadian Press
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