Canadian PM in Hot Water After Accusation of Interference in Judicial System

Corruption is Everywhere - SNC-Lavalin and the Prime Minister of Canada though?

C'est impossible!

Justin Trudeau's often used response to China's complaints about Canada arresting Huawei's CFO on a warrant from the USA is: Canada is a under the rule of law, there is no political interference in the rule of law.

That was then, what, two months ago, and this is now. 

The Globe and Mail newspaper reported last week that Trudeau’s aides pressed Jody Wilson-Raybould, the then Attorney General of Canada, to help avoid a prosecution of SNC-Lavalin on charges stemming from alleged business activities in Libya.

The newspaper said Wilson-Raybould was shuffled to the veterans-affairs portfolio, just two weeks ago, after she refused to get the public prosecutor to negotiate a remediation deal with the company, a means of acknowledging wrongdoing without a criminal conviction.

The Liberal government maintains that while discussions on the matter took place with Wilson-Raybould, she wasn’t pressured or told to issue a directive to the prosecutor.

Trudeau's response to the allegations: “The allegations in the Globe story this morning are false,” Trudeau told reporters when asked about the allegations.

“Neither the current nor the previous attorney general was ever directed by me nor anyone in my office to take a decision in this matter.”

Reporters noted that the questions raised in the article are not only about “directing” action. “Not necessarily direct, prime minister. Was there any sort of influence whatsoever?” one reporter asked.

Trudeau responded by saying again that “at no time did we direct the attorney general, current or previous, to take any decision whatsoever in this matter.”

He stuck to that line for days and refused to clarify whether there was any persuasion that might be less than 'directing' involved. One has to wonder, did someone threaten to demote Wilson-Raybould if she didn't act in the best interests of SNC-Lavalin, or was her demotion rather an act of discipline for a Minister who put ethics above politics? Was it intended to keep other ministers in line?

Wilson-Raybould refused to answer reporters questions citing attorney-client privilege. She could have easily ended the whole scandal by saying that there was no political interference, which would not have violated attorney-client privilege, but she didn't.

In fact, the day she was demoted from AG to Dept of Veterans Affairs, she wrote on her MP's web site: The role of the Attorney General of Canada carries with it unique responsibilities to uphold the rule of law and the administration of justice, and as such demands a measure of principled independence. It is a pillar of our democracy that our system of justice be free from even the perception of political interference and uphold the highest levels of public confidence. 

The mention of political interference is curious at best and seems out of place were it not there for a specific reason. 

Opposition Leader Andrew Sheer has called on Trudeau to waive attorney-client privilege. He has not responded publicly to that. Sheer also called for an emergency Justice Committee meeting to investigate. That committee is made up primarily of Trudeau's Liberals, so one cannot expect much from them.

Meanwhile, two high profile NDP MPs have called on the Ethics Commissioner to investigate the allegations, and just today, he has agreed. 

The consequences could be huge as a finding of political interference could possibly result in criminal charges, and would certainly reveal an endemic hypocrisy in the PMO (Prime Minister's Office), as well as a 'special' relationship, bordering on corruption, between the Liberal Party and SNC-Lavalin.

It would also leave Trudeau out-on-a-limb in his dealings with China and his claims of political non-interference in the Canadian justice system. Trudeau had already angered the Chinese government with his leadership in sending a letter of complaint about the way the Chinese were treating Uighur (Muslim) people in western China. Today, the government admitted that trade relations with China are likely to slow for the foreseeable future.

Other consequences for Canada could be substantial as SNC-Lavalin employs thousands of people across the country and around the world. If they were found guilty of corruption, it would render SNC-Lavalin ineligible for any Canadian government contracts for 10 years. The possibility of a complete collapse of the company and thousands of people thrown out of work is neither good for the economy, not is it good for Liberal re-election plans.

I am not without sympathy for SNC-Lavalin as it was doing business the way business is done in so many countries around the world - bribery, kickbacks, corruption. You can't do business on an international scale without it. Nevertheless, it must be fought against. We can do better.