Tuesday 26 March 2019

As ethics committee meets on SNC-Lavalin, Trudeau insists Liberal team 'more united than ever'

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Replying to and  47 others
Methinks the former Attorney Jody Wilson-Raybould and her fellow Liberals were very foolish indeed not to settle with me on December 14th, 2015 N'esy Pas? 


https://davidraymondamos3.blogspot.com/2019/03/as-ethics-committee-meets-on-snc.html


#nbpoli #cdnpoli 


https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ethics-committee-snc-lavalin-1.5071634





 

As ethics committee meets on SNC-Lavalin, Trudeau insists Liberal team 'more united than ever'




5233 Comments
Commenting is now closed for this story.




Hamish lawrence
It must take a lot of practice to say that with a straight face


David R. Amos
Reply to @Hamish lawrence: "It must take a lot of practice to say that with a straight face"

Methinks many politicians will understand why I post this with a straight face because as soon a I read this article I picked up the phone and had a conversation with two of Peter Kent's assistants N'esy Pas?



David R. Amos
Reply to @Richard Sharp: "Philpott will be booted from the caucus with a day or two"

So you say Methinks I should say that Erskine-Smith's assistant Andy picked a very bad day to make fun of me over the phone N'esy Pas? 



David R. Amos
Reply to @Nahla Kalifa: "The heart of darkness crosses all political lines."

Oh So True Methinks what powers the engine that takes the evil heart of darkness everywhere is simple human greed and it can't be stopped because the rails are greased by fear and apathy N'esy Pas?










Robert Campbell
I guess we all should get FOOL tattooed on our foreheads. Its not conservatives that want answers its Canadians


David R. Amos
Reply to @Robert Campbell: Methinks whereas April Fools Day fast approaches the the former Attorney Jody Wilson-Raybould and her fellow Liberals were very foolish indeed not to settle with me on December 14th, 2015 N'esy Pas? 


David R. Amos
Reply to @Richard Sharp: "The issues have been explored. The undue interference charge debunked. A DPA long overdue "

Yea Right





Richard Dekka
Its the same sense of unity he has created across Canada - united against him.

But remember, he does experience things differently.  



David R. Amos
Reply to @Richard Dekkar: Methinks Mr Prime Minister Trudeau The Younger makes that fact blatantly obvious to all with each passing day N'esy Pas? 











James Paul
The Liberals may or may not be united, but the voters are well into the process of uniting against them.


David R. Amos
Reply to @James Paul: Methinks the Liberals brought this upon themselves or no reason that peoplekind will never understand N'esy Pas?









Robert Campbell
When is this dog and pony show going to end. I am at the point I don't even like to hear his voice anymore and I voted for him?!!


David R. Amos
Reply to @Robert Campbell: "When is this dog and pony show going to end"

Methinks you should relax and enjoy the Circus then vote accordingly in October N'esy Pas? 



David R. Amos
Reply to @Derek Golota: Methinks Mr Campbell was already duly informed N'esy Pas?










Pam Sutton
Hahahaha, the 905 GTA region is turning blue because of you Trudeau, bye bye!


David R. Amos
Reply to @Pam Sutton: Methinks from here to October is an eternity for Mr Prime Minister Trudeau The Younger, Premier Ford and Independent politicians such as I. Nobody can deny that the fat lady won't sing about who gets the mandate to oversee the 43rd Parliament until polling day but that fact won't stop me from filing a few very justifiable lawsuits in the "Mean" Time N'esy Pas? 









Bill Edward Goate
"Trudeau insists Liberal team 'stronger, more united than ever before"

That's the same thing celebrities usually say about their marriage two weeks before they file for divorce.



David R. Amos
Reply to @Bill Edward Goate: Oh So True











Davee Foster
Trudeau certainly experiences things differently.


David R. Amos
Reply to @Davee Foster: YUP


Derek Golota
Reply to @Davee Foster: ..must be legal pot thing.


David R. Amos 
Reply to @Derek Golota: Nope Methinks he was born with it in his DNA Some shrinks call it narcissism but Maritimers such I simply say he is full of himself N'esy Pas?









Jacob Schmee
Did Katie Telford tell you to say that Justin? Will this statement be followed by some Katie Telford Op-eds from 600 million dollar "friendly journalists"? Not only Conservatives want to know but all Canadians. 


David R. Amos
Reply to @Jacob Schmeel: Methinks legions of loyal liberals are waiting with bated breath for wise words from Katie Telford However as for me I am just another dude who abides and merely enjoys the Circus with each passing day til we vote again N'esy Pas? 









Kim Walters
"Pay no attention to the fire behind me...." 


David R. Amos
Reply to @Kim Walters: Well put 


David R. Amos
Reply to @Lance Campeau: Methinks he does Everybody knows that they are all crooks no matter what colour their political coat is That is why so many folks don't bother to vote N'esy Pas?




Updated:


Liberals block new SNC-Lavalin ethics probe as Trudeau insists his team is 'more united than ever'

Prime minister downplays caucus divisions over SNC-Lavalin affair


Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the Liberal caucus is more united than ever, despite divisions over the government's handling of the SNC-Lavalin affair. (Patrick Doyle/Reuters)


Liberal MPs have voted down an opposition motion to launch a Commons ethics committee probe into the SNC-Lavalin affair.

Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, who broke with party ranks to vote in favour of an NDP motion calling for a public inquiry into the SNC-Lavalin matter, said he opposes an ethics committee hearing at this time because it is "premature."

He pointed out that the justice committee is still awaiting a written submission, texts and emails from former attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould, the Liberal MP whose allegations of political interference in her work as attorney general touched off the scandal which has dominated federal politics for weeks.





"To me, it makes far more sense to see what is said in that statement, to see how justice reacts to that and whether they think any of that new information is something worth reconsidering their previous decision to close off their study," Erskine-Smith said.

Apart from Erskine-Smith, no other Liberal members spoke during the committee meeting. He said the Liberal members met before the meeting began and decided he would speak for the group.
Frustrated Conservatives called the vote further evidence of a government effort to sweep a scandal under the rug.

"Liberals had a chance to put their votes where their mouths were, and instead they decided to vote for another coverup," said Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre.

Conservative MP and ethics critic Peter Kent had drafted a motion to launch an inquiry, call former cabinet ministers Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott to testify by April 5 and formally request that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau broaden a waiver to allow them to speak freely.

The move came after Liberal MPs used their majority on the Commons justice committee to shut down an inquiry, despite the opposition's request to recall Wilson-Raybould to testify a second time.

That sparked accusations of a coverup and prompted the Conservatives to stage a 31-hour voting marathon in the Commons in protest.


Earlier today, Trudeau downplayed the split in the Liberal caucus over the SNC-Lavalin affair when asked if he faces civil war in the ranks, and said that the Conservatives' voting marathon ended up being a team-building exercise.

"Because of the tremendous opportunity to vote as a team for 30 hours last week, where we watched the Conservatives voting against everything from support for women's programs to support for our veterans to support for our military, our team has come out stronger and more united than ever before," he told reporters in Winnipeg today.

'Put up or shut up'


"I am incredibly proud of the Liberal Party, that we are focused on the things that really matter to Canadians."

Two cabinet ministers, Trudeau's principal secretary and the clerk of the Privy Council have resigned in the wake of allegations of inappropriate political interference in the criminal prosecution of SNC-Lavalin, a Quebec-based global engineering and construction firm.

Some Liberal MPs have accused their colleagues Wilson-Raybould and Philpott of dragging out the SNC-Lavalin affair. Liberal MP Judy Sgro said last week they should "put up or shut up" by using their parliamentary privilege to air any remaining grievances in the House of Commons.

Wilson-Raybould has said she believes she was demoted from the justice ministry to Veterans Affairs for refusing to pursue a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) for SNC-Lavalin that would have halted its criminal prosecution on bribery charges related to contracts in Libya. Trudeau has denied her claims.

Raybould resigned from cabinet last month. Philpott resigned as Treasury Board president earlier this month, saying she had lost confidence in the government's handling the SNC-Lavalin matter.
Kent argued it's time for the ethics committee to search for answers.

"After Liberals on justice prematurely shut down their incomplete study, it became entirely appropriate for ethics to create a study of our own, to provide a safe and civil forum for Ms. Wilson-Raybould and Ms. Philpott to address unanswered issues and speak to events and conversations beyond the narrow waiver offered initially by the prime minister," he told CBC News.

NDP MP Daniel Blaikie had said it would be a "shame" if the other Liberal MPs voted against an SNC-Lavalin committee probe without putting anything on the official record to explain their decisions.

"That would be a shameful spectacle, to walk out of here without indicating on the record as to why it is that they would vote against this motion," he said.

Ethics commissioner probe underway


Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion's office is also carrying out an investigation.
Erskine-Smith said that probe undermines the argument for an ethics committee study. Dion is scheduled to appear before the committee in early May and can answer questions at that time, he said.

While other Liberals have suggested Wilson-Raybould and Philpott could simply tell their stories in the House of Commons, Erskine-Smith said they should not be forced to turn to parliamentary immunity.
He said he believes the waiver should cover any evidence relevant to the SNC-Lavalin matter.

"If there's any conversation, any evidence that Ms. Wilson-Raybould or Ms. Philpott need to give with respect to this issue of allegations of unnecessary interference, regardless of the time period, I think that evidence should be permitted," he said.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said today's developments support the argument for a public inquiry.

"What's clearer than ever is, with a Liberal majority on the committees, the committees are unable to hear from witnesses, to get to the truth that Canadians so rightfully deserve," he said. "And that's why, more than ever, our call for a public inquiry is the path forward."

Liberal MP Karen McCrimmon said the ongoing "frenzy" is serving certain "political purposes" — she didn't say whose — but it's not serving the interests of Canadians. She conceded it is damaging the Liberal caucus.

"Teams are really fragile things. They take an awful lot of effort to build and to maintain," she said.

"The trust inside a team is absolutely key. So yeah, it's taken a bit of a hit, because these disagreements were taken outside of the party to air publicly."
Trudeau's caucus troubles aren't quite limited to the SNC-Lavalin fallout. Last week, Ontario MP Celina Caesar-Chavannes quit the Liberal caucus and opted to sit as an Independent after the Globe and Mail published an interview in which she said Trudeau became hostile towards her after she told him she would not seek re-election.













As ethics committee meets on SNC-Lavalin, Trudeau insists Liberal team 'more united than ever'

Prime minister downplays caucus divisions over SNC-Lavalin affair



LIVE

CBC News
Ethics committee meets on SNC-Lavalin affair LIVE


Opposition MPs on the House of Common's ethics committee want to hear from former Liberal cabinet ministers Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott. 0:00


Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is downplaying the split in the Liberal caucus over the SNC-Lavalin affair, insisting his team is strong and united.

"I am incredibly proud of the Liberal Party, that we are focused on the things that really matter to Canadians," Trudeau said today after an event in Winnipeg.

Two cabinet ministers, Trudeau's principal secretary and the clerk of the Privy Council have resigned in the wake of allegations of inappropriate political interference in the criminal prosecution of the Quebec-based global engineering and construction firm.







Some Liberal MPs have accused their colleagues Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott of dragging out the SNC-Lavalin affair. Liberal MP Judy Sgro said last week they should "put up or shut up" by using their parliamentary privilege to air any remaining grievances in the House of Commons.

Wilson-Raybould has said she believes she was demoted from the justice ministry to Veterans Affairs for refusing to pursue a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) for SNC-Lavalin that would have halted its criminal prosecution on bribery charges related to contracts in Libya. Trudeau has denied her claims.
Raybould resigned from cabinet last month. Philpott resigned as Treasury Board president earlier this month, saying she had lost confidence in the government's handling the SNC-Lavalin matter.

No civil war


But today, when asked if he faces civil war in the ranks, Trudeau insisted his team remains solidly intact.

"Because of the tremendous opportunity to vote as a team for 30 hours last week, where we watched the Conservatives voting against everything from support for women's programs to support for our veterans to support for our military, our team has come out stronger and more united than ever before," he told reporters in Winnipeg.



Politics News
Trudeau not worried about party unity

 PM Justin Trudeau responds to a question about Liberal party unity within his caucus after weeks of disruption by the SNC-Lavalin affair. 0:34

Trudeau's remarks come as MPs on the Commons ethics committee prepare to vote on whether to hold hearings into the SNC-Lavalin affair.  The committee began its meeting at 1 p.m. ET and CBCNews.ca is carrying it live.

Conservative MP and ethics critic Peter Kent has drafted a motion to launch an inquiry, call Wilson-Raybould and Philpott to testify by April 5 and formally request that Trudeau broaden a waiver to allow them to speak freely.

The move comes after Liberal MPs used their majority on the Commons justice committee to shut down an inquiry, despite the opposition's request to recall Wilson-Raybould to testify a second time.

That sparked accusations of a coverup and prompted the Conservatives to stage a 31-hour voting marathon in the Commons in protest.
Kent said it's now time for the ethics committee to search for answers.

"After Liberals on justice prematurely shut down their incomplete study, it became entirely appropriate for ethics to create a study of our own, to provide a safe and civil forum for Ms. Wilson-Raybould and Ms. Philpott to address unanswered issues and speak to events and conversations beyond the narrow waiver offered initially by the prime minister," he told CBC News.

Ethics probe 'premature'


Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, who broke party ranks to vote in favour of an NDP motion to call a public inquiry into the SNC-Lavalin matter, said he opposes an ethics committee hearing at this time because it is "premature." The justice committee is awaiting a written submission, texts and emails from Wilson-Raybould.

"To me, it makes far more sense to see what is said in that statement, to see how justice reacts to that and whether they think any of that new information is something worth reconsidering their previous decision to close off their study," he said.

Apart from Erskine-Smith, Liberal members have remained largely silent during the first portion of today's committee meeting. NDP MP Daniel Blaikie said it would be a "shame" if the other Liberal MPs voted against an SNC-Lavalin committee probe without putting anything on the official record to explain their decisions.

"That would be a shameful spectacle, to walk out of here without indicating on the record as to why it is that they would vote against this motion," he said.

Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion's office is also carrying out an investigation. Kent said that probe will be "very narrow" due to the limits of the Conflict of Interest Act, while the Conservative motion would lead to a "much broader study of ethical issues in the PM's ongoing corruption scandal."

Liberal MP Karen McCrimmon said the ongoing "frenzy" is serving certain "political purposes" — she didn't say whose — but it's not serving the interests of Canadians. She conceded it is damaging the Liberal caucus.

"Teams are really fragile things. They take an awful lot of effort to build and to maintain," she said.

"The trust inside a team is absolutely key. So yeah, it's taken a bit of a hit, because these disagreements were taken outside of the party to air publicly."
Trudeau's caucus troubles aren't quite limited to the SNC-Lavalin fallout. Last week, Ontario MP Celina Caesar-Chavannes quit the Liberal caucus and opted to sit as an Independent after the Globe and Mail published an interview in which she said Trudeau became hostile towards her after she told him she would not seek re-election.



















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