SNC-Lavalin report vindicates Jody Wilson-Raybould, says political scientist
David Moscrop says nobody comes off as 'deeply nefarious' in the ethics commissioner's report
CBC Radio ·
Former Liberal justice minister and attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould, left, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, right. (Sean Kilpatrick, Chris Young/The Canadian Press)
The ethics commissioner's report completely vindicates former
attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould, says a political science
professor — but it still doesn't give us any clear heroes and villains
in the SNC-Lavalin affair.
In a report released on Wednesday, Mario Dion found Prime Minister Justin Trudeau violated the Conflict of Interest Act in 2018 when he tried to pressure then-justice minister Wilson-Raybould to overrule a federal prosecutor's decision to send Quebec-based engineering firm SNC-Lavalin to trial on corruption charges.
Trudeau told reporters that
while he accepts the report and takes full responsibility for what
happened, he disagrees with some of Dion's conclusions.
David
Moscrop, a political scientist and postdoctoral fellow at the
University of Ottawa, says Dion makes a strong case against Trudeau, but
there's still no "smoking gun."
Here is part of his conversation with As It Happens guest host Nil Köksal.
We've
all been poring through the 63 pages of the ethics commissioner's
report. But in a nutshell for our listeners, break down the key points.
There's
a couple of things that stand out as new and remarkable, and one of
them is that in the course of his investigation the ethics commissioner,
Mr. Dion, had a hard time getting access to all of the documents that
he needed to carry out the investigation.
That's a significant problem. I think that's an indictment of the system to some extent.
But
the broader, more interesting takeaway is that this is the first time
the entire affair has been laid out in one place in comprehensive
detail. And it is ultimately a narrative that backs up Jody
Wilson-Raybould's story, that she was pressured consistently and
inappropriately to intervene.
Politics News
Trudeau says "the buck stops with the Prime Minister"
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke to reporters in Niagara on the Lake on Wednesday 1:07
She's just released a statement on her Facebook page
using the word "vindication." It's a word that some other analysts have
used as we waited for her response. What do you make of what she said
in response?
Please
see the statement from the Hon. Jody Wilson-Raybould, M.P. for
Vancouver Granville on the release of the Trudeau II Report of the
Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner.
It's a word I have been using all day.
It's a word that kept rolling across my mind as I read through the
report earlier today. It reads like a vindication of everything that she
has said publicly after February [and] everything that she had been
concerned about in the events that led up to February.
He
makes the distinction, Dion does, that just trying to influence the
decision of another person — speaking to the attorney general — doesn't
violate the Code, this Section 9. But that trying to promote the
interests, private interests of another person, that's the key here.
He
lays out three instances ... in which there was undue or inappropriate
pressure placed on Jody Wilson-Raybould as attorney general. To me, that
is not quite, I think, what you call a smoking gun, but certainly a
persuasive case made that there had been a contravention of Section 9.
Take us through those points.
The
first was Michael Wernick, who was then head of the Privy Council,
bringing up SNC-Lavalin's impending board meeting and mentioning
economic consequences.
And of course then the others were [Trudeau] mentioning the federal election and mentioning the Quebec election.
Ethics
commissioner Mario Dion released a report Wednesday concluding that
Trudeau violated the Conflict of Interest Act in the SNC-Lavalin Affair.
(Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)
That
was a line from the Liberals repeatedly — there are 9,000 jobs to be
protected in Quebec, that those would be lost if SNC-Lavalin faced a
corruption trial. We heard the prime minister hint at that again. He is
sticking to that argument.
I think one of the
interesting challenges in this whole affair is that we want a caricature
of people. Observers like when it's black and white or when there's a
villain and a hero.
I think the truth is, reading through this
report, looking back on the committee testimony, reading reports that
were released in stories in February and March, what you see as human
beings in the middle of a political system who are acting for a whole
bunch of different reasons — some of them you would say were perfectly
consistent with their roles and with the Conflict of Interest Act, and
some that weren't. And what Mr. Dion has highlighted in this report are
the ones that weren't.
At the end of the day. we'd like for
things to be clean and direct and simple, but I don't think anyone is
deeply nefarious in any of this. Misguided, definitely. Part of a toxic
political culture, no doubt. But it certainly comes off as slightly more
complicated than you might think.
Politics News
Singh says Trudeau cannot be Prime Minister
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says that Trudeau's history of ethics violations should not be re-elected as Prime Minister. 1:15
But
Canadians are trying to make up their minds, right? Ten weeks before an
election. So the timing of all this is critical. It could work for or
against Mr. Trudeau and the Liberals. What do you make of the timing?
My
working hypothesis is that this was deemed as a priority and something
that was in the public interest to release sooner rather than later.
Although
I can't imagine that the thought hadn't crossed someone's mind in the
ethics office that after a certain point, as we approach the election,
it gets politically pretty dicey to release it.
We don't want a Comey letter in Canada, right? So if this came out in October, it would have been a massive problem.
Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer spoke to reporters in Regina on Wednesday
Could this sway or decide the election in your view?
My
sense is that it's certainly going to do the Liberals no favours. It's
going to make what was already a very difficult task getting re-elected
even more difficult. It's going to confirm a lot of what people already
believe.
I don't know how many minds are going to get changed
because of this. I suspect most people sort of made up their mind about
SNC back in the spring and early summer, and I don't imagine much is
going to change.
But
it's going to distract quite a bit. So there's going to be things that
the Liberals want to talk about that they no longer get to talk about,
or get to talk about far less.
It's also going to motivate
opponents. We've already seen the energy coming from Jagmeet Singh and
Andrew Scheer already today. It's going to motivate them going forward.
Written
by Sheena Goodyear with files from John Paul Tasker and The Canadian
Press. Interview produced by Jeanne Armstrong. Q&A has been edited
for length and clarity.
135 Comments
David R. Amos Methinks David Moscrop does not know the whole story but CBC certainly does N'esy Pas?
Is Trudeau in for another hit in the polls because of the SNC-Lavalin ethics report?
3905 Comments Commenting is now closed for this story.
Jean Leman If you vote for Justin now, then you should question your own ethics, integrity and IQ.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Jean Leman:
I never voted for him in the first place. Methinks my ethics, integrity
and IQ tell me to only vote for myself but thats just common sense
anyway N'esy Pas?
Jim Johnson CBC is already starting to down play the SNC scandal.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Jim Johnson: Methinks that par for the course in this wicked game N'esy Pas?
David R. Amos Methinks many folks
would agree it was very interesting and no coincidence that while
Trudeau was in Fredericton yesterday trying to buy the election with
taxpayer funds that no doubt one of his minions posted this comment
about my lawsuit within this forum N'esy Pas?
Darren MacDonald Reply to @David R. Amos: What does this mean?
"The deficiencies in Mr. Amos’ pleadings are so extensive such that amendment could not cure them" Bob Smith My
vote is conservative hands down!! When Harper was in power there was
government stability, good relations with the provinces, and there was
financial turmoil in the world and Harper managed to spare Canada from
it. Also the debt load improved and the Canadian dollar reached par with
the American dollar which is a great sign as Canada becoming a great
place to invest. Now we have Trudeau - His government has been
investigated 5 times with the ethics commisioner, with 2 convictions to
Trudeau himself which has never happened!! Relations are bad with the
provinces with record debt levels in a very good world economy with a
tanked Canadian dollar. Now we are on the cusp of a recession and
Trudeau has done a terrible job of preparing Canada!! There is simply no
good news with Trudeau and the Liberals and we the voter are going to
pay dearly for the liberal mistakes made over the past 4 years!!
David R. Amos Reply to @Bob Smith: Cry me a river Bob Smith Reply to @David R. Amos: If you are a voter you should be crying!! I am guessing you are employed by Trudeau! David R. Amos Reply
to @Bob Smith: Methinks if you were to check my work you would see that
a lot folks know that I ran against them all 6 times thus far and that I
am preparing to do so again N'esy Pas?
David R. Amos Reply to @Bob Smith: Google Fundy Royal Debate Lewis
Harvey I
voted for the Liberal candidate last election. In October I will not
be doing the same. I am not impressed with Conservative carbon-friendly
agenda agenda. So I guess that leaves me a choice between Elizabeth
May's Green Party and the NDP. Either one would be a big improvement on
the Liberals which it appears remain firmly entrenched in their corrupt
old ways.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Lewis
Harvey: Methinks there are other political parties besides the ones you
mentioned and there are also many Independents such as the tag team of
Jody and Jane N'esy Pas?
Robert Morris It
would be a mistake to assume that liberal voters would turn to the
conservatives in light of the SNC affair.......at the end of the day a
great many voters do not want a rerun of the harper agenda.......the
conservatives had 4 years to fix their agenda and did absolutely
nothing.....there is also the added problem that the conservatives are
running without a credible plan to reduce carbon emissions.....this
suggests that they put the interests of big oil companies ahead of the
environment.....
David R. Amos
Reply to @Robert Morris: Who says they have to turn to the Conservatives?
James Fisher If you have to ask what ethics are, you are a liberal!
David R. Amos
Reply to @James fisher: or a lawyer
Cameron SMith Junior has nothing to worry about.
Conduct a poll of Quebec voters.
They are quite used to crime bosses.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Cameron SMith: True
Randy A.
Selkirk Trudeau is done ! Not as advertised !
David R. Amos
Reply to @Randy A.
Selkirk: Methinks considering his opposition and the fact that it two
months before the Fat Lady sings about the accuracy of pollsters it
would not be wise to bet the farm on your opinion N'esy Pas?
David R. Amos Methinks
only the Privy Council and I know why Mr Dion's Report is far from
complete However anyone can Google certain names and mine to read simple
truths for themselves before polling day N'esy Pas?
Norman
McLellan One
can only hope that the Canadian public sees this guy as who he really
is, a boy of privilege who feels a need to protect "friends" and the
Liberals do take a hit.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Norman
McLellan: I hope some folks read my comments found immediately below
this one and ask their MPs some questions before polling day
Laine
Smith Lots
of Liberals here suggesting JWR, a long time lawyer wasn't up to the
job of AG... While at the same time suggesting that the snowboarder with
no career before age 36 is a capable Prime Minister.
Your logic seems flimsy.
Eugene
Packet
Reply to @Laine Smith: it is true. Raybold left an innocent man in prison for 18 months while his file sat on her desk.
Richard Lane
Reply to @Laine
Smith: Everyone loved JWR.....until she proved herself to be much more
than just a "quota-filling" symbol for Justin Trudeau. After she stood
up to Trudeau, the talking points to criticize her were sent out from
the PMO to the folks whom Katie Telford keeps on her rolodex in case of
emergencies just like this. You can also be sure that Gerry had some
input.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Eugene Packet: Good Point
David R. Amos
Reply to @Eugene
Packet: Methinks everybody knows Raybould had her minions argue me in
Federal Court for years even though she knew the truth of the matter
BEFORE she was sworn in as Attorney General N'esy Pas?
Scott
Brennand
Reply
to @Eugene Packet: I think he was out of prison a year or two before
the liberals won in 2015. He waited 18 months for an exoneration, but
yours is a better story for sure.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Scott
Brennand: Methinks this is a better story Justin Trudeau or anyone else
can Google the following then scroll down to read statement 83 N'esy
Pas?
David Raymond Amos versus the Crown Federal Court File No. T-1557-15
David R. Amos Methinks
it strange that after many thousands of comments within CBC since the
Dion Report surfaced now all I hear is crickets N'esy Pas?
David R. Amos
Methinks the question is "Is Trudeau in for another hit in the polls because of the SNC-Lavalin ethics report?"
The obvious answer is YUP N'esy Pas?
Richard Lane Reply
to @David R. Amos: He won't apologize because he is trying to appear as
though he is standing up for jobs in Quebec; and that is where the
chances of another majority lay. He doesn't care about jobs out west
(200,000 of them lost) because the people out West can see Trudeau for
the empty suit he is; and they don't vote for him. Corruption in Quebec
is par for the course; they have accepted it as the consequences they
must endure if the payola from the rest of Canada is to keep rolling in
to pay for their daycare and other programs they can't afford on their
own.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Richard
lane: Methinks the strange part of all this is that everybody knows I
defended Trudeau The Younger's reputation in the lawsuit I filed in
Federal Court against the Crown when Harper was the Prime Minister and
Scheer was the Speaker N'esy Pas?
Chris Chris No.
Risk the Cons pose with increased suffering to poor & vulnerable,
& risk to enviro is much greater than risk Libs pose w/different
subjective opinion on SNC issue. More importantly Libs are open to
listening & making changes as we saw w/response to Court findings on
trans mountain pipeline, while Cons are not, they don't gave climate
plan, they work for big oil & have ties to far right Rebel Media
& refuse to kick out bigots like Cooper as they promised to. I'm
voting Liberal to keep our mist vulnerable safe.
Deganawidah
Ayenwatha Reply
to @Chris Chris: There is no 'subjective opinion' on the SNC issue. The
ethics commissioner is appointed by the PM but is the independent
investigator. The finding was very clear - read it. This is a disgusting
PM who tried to get a sweetheart deal for a company that donated to and
lobbied the PM. He attempted to obstruct justice by pressuring the
independent Attorney Journal to reverse a decision already made by the
DPP.
Deganawidah
Ayenwatha
Reply to @Deganawidah Ayenwatha: General not Journal - typo - sorry
David R. Amos
Reply to @Deganawidah
Ayenwatha: Methinks folks should ask me about what went down between
the lawyer Mario Dion and I that caused him to quit as Commissioner on
Public Sector Integrity which caused Harper to force the appointment of
another lawyer to replace him (Joe Friday) Trust that many political
pundits recall that went down not long before Harper had his lawyer
buddy David Johnston drop the writ in 2015 N'esy Pas?
Richard Lane Reply
to @Chris Chris: The Liberal Party relies upon idiocy such as yours.
And they know that their behaviour will not make a difference to people
like you.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Richard
lane: Methinks Mr Prime Minister Trudeau the Younger will never dare to
deny that I have a signed letter from a lawyer speaking for the
Commissioner on Public Sector Integrity in 2008 who now works for the
current Attorney General because I filed it in the Public Record of my
2015 lawsuit against the Crown N'esy Pas?
James Bilodeau Reply to @David R. Amos: Methinks you talk to much and think too highly of yourself, whoever the hell you Gerald Bu tts.
Kirby Harris Just
looked to see what Wikipedia has about SNC-Lavalin and they are a mega
company with lots of legal issues since 2001 and a public relations
nightmare for previous governments.SNC-Lavalin is one of those
manipulating forces behind the political scenes. Prime Minister Trudeau
is in the clear compared to SNC.
Diego Odorizzi
Reply to @kirby harris: ...Trudeau is tied to the hip of SNC
Patricia Deronde
Reply to @Diego Odorizzi: Is that your opinion or a fact. Be careful what you say.
Diego Odorizzi
Reply to @Patricia deronde: ..that’s my opinion....with good reason
Richard Lane
Reply to @kirby
harris: SNC will try to bribe and corrupt any politician they deal with.
They just find it much easier to do with the kind of people who join
the Liberal party. In the Liberals...they have a group of folks who
think as they do; the end justifies the means. And at the end of the
day, it is their own personal enrichment that most Liberals are looking
for. They fired the only two who actually stood for something.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Diego Odorizzi: I concur
Gustav
Labadie all the kings pollsters and media pens
couldn't help Justin sway voter intents
Patricia Deronde
Reply to @Gustav
Labadie: and the Jason Kenney RCMP investigation is about the same
thing? Isn't he the one that conservatives say will be the next leader
of their party? Interesting
David R. Amos Reply to @Gustav Labadie: Heres Hoping That Many Folks Wholeheartedly Agree With You Sir
David R. Amos
Reply to @Patricia deronde: Methinks desperate liberals do post desperate things N'esy Pas?
Jasbir Narwal Andrew and Jagmeet are hopeless.
Diego Odorizzi
Reply to @Jasbir Narwal: ..and Trudeau is less than hopeless
Richard Lane
Reply to @Jasbir Narwal: Yep...they should have picked Max.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Jasbir Narwal: Yup
David R. Amos
Reply to @Richard lane: Nope
Bob Lyall If the RCMP opens an investigation it will be time for JT to fall on his sword.
David R. Amos Reply to @Bob Lyall: Dream on
Jacob Hobart Nope JT fan club doesn't care about ethics breaches....
David R. Amos Reply
to @Jacob Hobart: Methinks that is blatantly obvious but the real
problem is the other political parties are no better N'esy Pas?
Dave C-i cbc
should be objective and non-partisan in reporting - their polls have a
record of being biased & slanted - that tell you something?
Norman McLellan
Reply to @Dave C-i:
The CBC has been like this for years and every time there is a Liberal
government in Ottawa they become the mouthpiece for them.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Norman McLellan: Oh So True
Garth Peter Liberals
are finished in October. In my opinion no one with any honesty morals
of ethics would vote for them. Funny the MPs are not asking for his
resignation, maybe next week they will
Stephen Smith Reply
to @Garth Peter: People voted Jason Kenney in even though he's under
investigation by the RCMP so does that tell you people have any honest
morals or ethics?
Alex Stock Reply to @Stephen Smith: Not every conservative in Canada lives in Alberta.
Stephen Smith Reply
to @Alex Stock: That's true but Alberta is touted as the Conservative
Heartland of Canada so the majority of the Voters here have very little
care for ethics and morals based on the types they have elected here
considering all the scandals that hit the UCP in the election.
David R. Amos Reply to @Stephen Smith: I Wholeheartedly Agree Sir
Chris Halford To
summarise the column. "I have no idea whether or not the Liberals will
be impacted by this report. Let's see what the next polls say."
Dave Johnson
Reply to @Chris Halford: would not AS love that, does not have to debate any real issues.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Chris Halford: Methinks many would agree thats it in a nutshell N'esy Pas?
David R. Amos
Reply to @Dave Johnson: Methinks everybody knows how much I love to debate N'esy Pas?
If you don't just Google Fundy Royal Debate
Bob Joe Meh,
this was something we knew 7 months ago and it was hardly a big deal
then with the so called 'ethics violation'. Asking the AG for a DPA in
order to save Canadian jobs, thousands of them is commendable. This is
just cons blowing smoke over nothing as usual.
Cons should just get wash their rear ends and get ready for October for the biggest wooping in history.
Dave C-i Reply to @Bob Joe: bs
Ken Sonnenberg
Reply to @Bob Joe:
Pull your head out of your rear end and do some real political research.
Not using socialist bias would maybe open your eyes.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Dave C-i: I concur
David R. Amos
Reply to @Ken Sonnenberg: Methinks you should do the same N'esy Pas?
Try reading a certain comment section published just before Trudeau won
his first mandate Google Fundy Royal CBC and this link should pop up
Stephen
Green The
LPC supporters are circling the wagons as a result of Trudeau's
failures and weakly trying to come up with feeble support for the
obvious naughty stuff Trudeau has caused.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Stephen
Green: Methinks we can never deny that they are Team Players and they
have played this wicked game before many times N'esy Pas?
Ted King I see the usual LPC cheerleaders are here with the B Team story instead of the A Team story that is leading elsewhere here.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Ted King: Methinks that is par for the course in this wicked game N'esy Pas?
Al Gribbin If
Thomas Mulcair was leader of the NDP, they would be a shoe-in for the
next government. As things stand, there is no good option. None of the
3 main parties deserve to govern.
David R. Amos
Content disabled Reply to @Al Gribbin: Yea Right Methinks you forgot how much that sneaky ex liberal lawyer blew it last time N'esy Pas?
Derrick Davy Danny
Tanker you have it all wrong, no women will vote for Trudeau after
firing 2 of the best cabinet ministers he had for no reason. Actually
JWR was trying to protect him from himself, now look whats happened to
him, found Guilty a second time from the ethics commissioner. And a
RCMP investigation!
David R. Amos
Reply to @Derrick Davy: Methinks everybody knows that there are a lot of ladies who strongly disagree with you N'esy Pas?
Will Morgan Canadians want a leader with social, scientific and economic policies that reflect the times we live in and not the 1800s.
Too late for the Cons this election but they would be wise to be
planning their next leadership voting system that doesn't favour the far
right Base.
Alex Stock
Reply to @will morgan: To be fair, the liberals do have their own slice of anti-science policy.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Alex Stock: YUP
Ray Boychuk Something something SNC.....boring.
Dave Johnson
Reply to @Ray Boychuk: old hat .
David R. Amos
Reply to @Dave Johnson: Not really
Holley Hardin Just
for giggles I answered a telephone poll one time….the questions were so
leading that I eventually got mad and said " no I do not support your
Liberals" and hung up....
Probably put me down as undecided...
Ray
Boychuk
Reply to @Holley Hardin:
Andy called me many times asking if he can count on me for my vote. I told him he was path etic and to stop calling.
Vladimir
Smejkal
Reply to @Holley Hardin:
Gee, I had similar experience with a Con peddler and told him to go to hell...
David R. Amos
Content disabled
Reply to @Ray
Boychuk: Methinks everybody knows why Andy don't call or write me and
why I do get numerous emails from the liberals because some Conservative
Troll sent my info to them N'esy Pas?
Vladimir
Smejkal Bet Andy isn't looking forward to the debates...
Regardless, Andy is a decent family man with no political and economic
vision and no real prospect of ever gaining credibility as a national
leader. Young Trudeau, inexperienced and a bit naive as he was at the
beginning of his mandate, has been able to show Canadians that he can
lead the country successfully, albeit with a few stumbles. I am quite
sure that now, with a bit more experience, he'll be ready for his
second, this time minority, term...
David R. Amos
Reply to @Vladimir
Smejkal: Methinks if Harper's lawyer buddy David Johnston allowed their
old pal Maxime Bernier to debate if would be quite a circus No doubt
that lawyer would rule the roost much to the chagrin of the other
lawyers on the stage N'esy Pas?
Jerry Kleiner Its
quite amusing that when the ethics commission comes out in its report,
our PM is saying "I made mistakes" When the issue was actually playing
itself out, he claimed that he did nothing wrong and didnt know about
the phone call.
Frankly and unfortunately, Trudeau has not been a good PM in so many
areas and he really has a very hard time telling the truth.
Basically, we have a choice to try Scheer or go with a proven failure. I
am going with Scheer this time and truly regret voting for Mr. Trudeau
last time
David R. Amos Reply to @jerry kleiner: Methinks you should ask Mr Scheer why I sued the Queen when he was the Speaker N'esy Pas?
David Mccaig Reply to @jerry kleiner:
IF Andrew Scheer and the cons are as attactive to the Canadian voter as
they claim, they should be ROCKETING AHEAD AT THE POLLS, but they're
not, because Andrew Scheer is about as inspiring as and UNDERTAKER,
which is what Canada would need if the cons ran the economy
David R. Amos
Reply to @david
mccaig: Methinks the question is "Is Trudeau in for another hit in the
polls because of the SNC-Lavalin ethics report?"
The obvious answer is YUP N'esy Pas?
Larry Langer Reply to @jerry kleiner: Only a fool would vote against the mighty Justin
Adam Radcliffe
Reply to @jerry
kleiner: With Schneer, you get Ford, Trump and Harper in the deal. Too
scarey. Economically Conservative times are bad times with prorogues and
all kinds of dramas all the time, prefer sunny times and a strong
economy as under Trudeau. Doubt if you voted for Trudeau last time.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Larry Langer: Yea Right
David R. Amos
Reply to @Adam Radcliffe: Yea Right to you too
George Jefferson When
I got home from work yesterday and read the Ethics story I instantly
flipped to the BBC and it was the 2nd top story. If we vote this clown
in we will be the laughing stock of the world and rightly so.
David R. Amos Reply to @George Jefferson: Welcome to the Circus
John Dirlik Reply to @Neil Turv:
You are right that Trudeau is a disappointment. But Harper was a disaster. And Scheer would be both.
David R. Amos Reply to @John Dirlik: True
Stephen David Trudeau's sunny ways are over in October.....yesterday sealed the deal.
Robert Redson
Reply to @Stephen David:
An incompetent Justice Minister was raised to godlike status by a
sustained Con attack. She really did need to seek advice on the matter
of a company losing the employment of thousands for the common act of
bribing officials in Lybia.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Robert Redson: YUP
David R. Amos Reply
to @Stephen David: Methinks many political pundits would agree it seems
like an eternity before the Fat Lady sings in October N'esy Pas?
David Kirby It really does not matter. This latest twist simply confirms what we know about Trudeau and how he will be remembered
David R. Amos Reply to @david kirby: Methinks its not over until the Fat Lady sings two months from now N'esy Pas?
Adam Radcliffe Reply to @david mccaig: Don't worry David you would get many more likes if comments weren't packed with Russians.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Adam Radcliffe: True
Rob
Preston I
must say the picture says it all. Trudeau,s minions will back anything
he does. But the rest of Canadians are sick of the arrogant lack of
respect. Good bye and Good riddance.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Rob
Preston: Methinks if they elect Harper 2.0 they will have similar
regrets in short order N'esy Pas? (Perhaps folks should read my lawsuit
before they disagree)
Peter Ray
Reply to @David R. Amos:
Does it contain words with more than two syllables?
David R. Amos Reply to @Peter Ray: YUP Federal Court File No T-1557-15
Jaysen Blake Not if CBC and other Trudeau funded media companies have anything to do with it.
Lloyd Jones
Reply to @Jaysen Blake:
Every government and their supporters (especially Conservative ones)
likes to whine about the CBC because it tells the truth about them when
they screw up or are caught doing the wrong thing. Harper had his time
with the Duffy affair. Right now it's Trudeau's turn. I don't see the
CBC painting lipstick on the SNC-Lavalin pig.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Lloyd Jones: Yea Right
Claire
Hope Sounds more serious than the 2 years of calling the conservative names over 1 glass of orange juice
Rowan Carster
Reply to @Claire
Hope: Now that and if Harper ate or pocketed a wafer in wafergate are
scandals and important issues, according to Libs this is not important.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Rowan Carster: Methinks everybody knows Harper pocketed the wafer N'esy Pas?
Gerard Groenewegen
Reply
to @Jacob Schmeel: Not just Harper but Chretien, Mulroney and Trudeau
the Elder. Each one had challenges during their time as PMs but it
wasn't them personally. They had tight control of their govt, were on
top of major files, worked very hard and generally everyone knew they
were the Boss. Trudeau the Younger, not so much.
David R. Amos Reply
to @Gerard Groenewegen: Methinks Trudeau the Younger should feel
flattered that you and I employ the same expressions about his Clan
N'esy Pas?
John Chester If
people can't see this PM is the biggest lair in government today and
needs to be removed then there is no hope for these people or Canada.
Nicolas Krinis Reply to @John Chester: There is no hope for Canada. The most divisive, ethically challenged PM in our history.
James Holden Reply to @Nicolas Krinis:
No. Harper still holds that title by a wide margin. Mulroney is second.
David R. Amos
Reply to @James Holden: Methinks many would agree that Sir John A. Macdonald is the all time champ in that regard N'esy Pas?
David Mccaig Reply to @John Chester:
HOW CAN YOU TRUST these cons who STILL DENY CLIMATE CHANGE.
David R. Amos
Reply to @david
mccaig: Methinks wise folks should ask how can anyone trust a politician
who claims that more taxes will fix climate change N'esy Pas?
Garry Walton All ethical Canadians want a Prime Minister that tells the truth.
Larry LeBlanc
Reply to @Garry Walton: Name one that ever has....
David R. Amos Reply to @Larry LeBlanc: R.B. Bennett
David R. Amos Reply
to @Garry Walton: Methinks they want the same from a used car salesman
but if they have lick of common sense and decent memory then they would
know not to expect the truth from such people N'esy Pas?
Peter
Vanderkellin The BIG hit at the polls comes in October - when selfie goes back to teaching drama part time.
Patrick Morris
Reply to @Peter
Vanderkellin: At least he had a real job. Look at Scheer's, Ford's and
Kenney's resumés: nothing but political pork.
David R. Amos
Reply to @patrick morris: True
Wal Wiseman Reply to @Peter Vanderkellin: can he be trusted to do that?
David R. Amos
Reply to @wal
wiseman: Methinks at least we can always rely on the PM to make many
excellent selfies before polling day N'esy Pas?
David Raymond Amos@DavidRayAmos
Replying to @DavidRayAmos @alllibertynews and 49 others Jody Wilson-Raybould thinks she is above the law Trudeau and his lawyers cannot deny that Bill Pentney's fellow judges used Rule 55 against me illegally in October of 2017 after JWR appointed her Deputy Minister to the Federal Court EH?
A Prime Minister's Office drunk on its own arrogance: Robyn Urback
4174 Comments Commenting is now closed for this story.
Rob Burr Why
is it Trudeau will apologize tor things that happened in the past, even
events before Confederation which he had nothing to do with but he
can't apologize for things he does? He is the most arrogant PM ever,
confirming he thinks he is above the law.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Rob Burr:
Methinks Jody Wilson-Raybould thinks she is above the law as well. Mr
Prime Minister Trudeau The Younger and his lawyers cannot deny that Bill
Pentney's fellow judges used Rule 55 against me illegally in October of
2017 after JWR had appointed her Deputy Minister to the Bench In
Federal Court N'esy Pas?
Fred Sook Reply to @David R. Amos:Mr. N'esy Pas is out of his mom's basement again.
Douglas Westover
Reply to @Fred Sook: Methinks... I just pmsl :)
David R. Amos Reply to @Louren Organzo Methinks the old Sook missed one N'esy Pas?
Terry Mann The mans arrogance has no bounds. Doesn't deserve to represent the people of Canada.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Terry Mann: Nor do any of the party leaders
Ra Shawn-Ell
Reply to @David R. Amos: Voting has always been about holding your nose and picking the least terrible one
James Holden Reply to @Ra Shawn-Ell:
"Voting has always been about holding your nose and picking the least terrible one"
And to keep the worst one out, Canadians will re elect the Liberals.
Rod Begin Trudeau has no ethics and has stated falsehoods numerous times, good article Robin!
David R. Amos
Reply to @Rod Begin: Methinks the real question is does Robin have an understanding of ethics N'esy Pas?
Fred Sook
Reply to @David R. Amos: That's number two, N'esy Pas.
Douglas Westover
Reply to @Fred Sook: You are killin' me !!!
Louren Organzo
Reply to @Fred Sook:
Okay Fred but you are in danger of being muted for the same reason DRA
was muted months ago ... its annoying no matter who does it.
Fred Sook
Reply to @Louren Organzo: N'esy Pas?
Louren Organzo Reply to @Fred Sook: Okay, you win, mute it is
James Holden Reply to @David R. Amos:
Conservatives left ethics in the rear view mirror when they were consumed by Reform.
They are still far worse than the present Government.
David R. Amos
Reply to @James Holden: I agree
Steve Saunders this is the first honest article from the cbc since this all began.
Cameron David
Reply to @Steve
Saunders: Robyn must feel very isolated at the CBC... every other
journalist wearing red shirts on casual friday.
Rich Reist
Reply to @Steve Saunders: this is an opinion piece, not a news article.
David R. Amos
Content disabled Reply to @Steve Saunders: Methinks CBC still needs to learn how to tell the whole truth N'esy Pas?
Steve Saunders
Reply to @Rich Reist: it's the first honest opinion then.
Fred Sook
Content disabled Reply to @David R. Amos: Number three, N'esy Pas.
Douglas Westover
Reply to @Fred Sook: Bravo !!
David R. Amos Content disabled Reply to @Fred Sook: Methinks I should have no doubt that you are kin to the latest Lt Gov on the Rock N'esy Pas?
Jake Devries Content disabled Reply to @Fred Sook: It is annoying, n'est pas?? lol
Kent Worthy I woke up this morning fully expecting to see a headline that said PM Trudeau resigns.
Apparently, he doesn't understand doing right from wrong.
David R. Amos Reply to @Kent Worthy: Surely you jest
Alexei Jovi
Reply to @David R. Amos: Surely you need to stop being a LEECH from the maritimes
David R. Amos Reply to @Alexei Jovi: Methinks you should come on down and run against me and tell me off during the debates N'esy Pas?
Roger Walliams and the very sad thing is that his disciples will still vote for him in october. sad
David R. Amos
Reply to @roger walliams: Methinks that par for the course N'esy Pas?
Fred Sook
Reply to @David R. Amos: Number four, N'esy Pas.
Douglas Westover
Reply to @Fred Sook: :)
Mark Axworthy
Trudeau has lost the moral authority to govern.
George Perry
Reply to @Mark Axworthy: One can not lose something one has never had.
David R. Amos
Reply to @George Perry: Oh So True
Rob Burr I hope the RCMP really take a deep look into this and not just sluff it off as nothing happened.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Rob Burr: Dream on
Alexei Jovi
Reply to @David R.
Amos: Awww an angry Maritimer that wants FREE MONEY and only wants
IRVING and government to be the only employer
David R. Amos
Reply to @Alexei Jovi: Methinks it blatantly obvious to all that you don't know who I am N'esy Pas?
Dave
Yet the Liberal panel decided there was nothing to investigate?
Come on Canada. Wake up.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Dave: Methinks the awful truth is nobody cares N'esy Pas?
Michael Dome Reply to @David R. Amos: 17000 post in one article about snc... 'no one cares' lol
Peter Vanderkellin
I know we can't say the "L" word here - but its quite obvious that selfie was "L"ing six months ago.
He's no leader, and deserves to be tossed to the curb come October.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Peter Vanderkellin: Methinks many would agree that nobody is telling the truth N'esy Pas?
Fred Sook
Content Disabled Reply to @David R. Amos: Number five, N'esy Pas.
Douglas Westover
Reply to @Fred Sook: :*
David R. Amos Reply to @Douglas Westover: Methinks you are talking to a ghost N'esy Pas?
Daniel
Leroux
Comes from a station in society where money trumps morals and ethics.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Daniel
Leroux: Methinks Mr Prime Minister Trudeau The Younger and all his
political foes know the Golden Rule is "He With the Gold Makes the
Rules" N'esy Pas?
Fred Sook
Reply to @David R. Amos: Number six, N'esy Pas.
Douglas Westover
Reply to @Fred Sook: LMAO
Fred Sook
Reply to @Douglas Westover: Yes. He is. N'esy Pas?
Peter Vanderkellin The headline says: "He L'd" (we aren't allowed to use the "L" word here, no matter HOW true it is)
He L'd, not just once, but over and over and over again.
Selfie deserves to be cast to the curb come october.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Peter Vanderkellin: Methinks all the party leaders need to fess up before October N'esy Pas?
Fred Sook
Reply to @David R. Amos: Number seven, N'esy Pas.
Douglas Westover
Reply to @Fred Sook: Thank you. You just made my week :)
Fred Sook
Reply to @Douglas Westover: You are most welcome. N'esy Pas?
Stephen
David A well written and accurate article....nailed it perfectly.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Stephen
David: I disagree Methinks many would agree that what is far more
important is the things the lady is not telling N'esy Pas?
Prime
Minister Justin Trudeau hugs supporters Wednesday as he visits the
community centre in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., where he made an
announcement on infrastructure funding. Trudeau said he accepts full
responsibility after Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion found he violated
the Conflict of Interest Act by trying to influence then-justice
minister Jody Wilson-Raybould in the SNC-Lavalin affair. (Peter Power/The Canadian Press)
With little more than two months to go
before Canadians head to the polls, the Liberals might have thought the
SNC-Lavalin affair was behind them.
So much for that.
When
the story initially broke in February, the impact on the Liberals'
electoral fortunes was significant — an impact the party hadn't quite
recovered from even before Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion published his
damning findings yesterday.
Dion found Prime
Minister Justin Trudeau violated the Conflict of Interest Act by trying
to influence then-justice minister Jody Wilson-Raybould and get her to
overrule a decision to not grant a deferred prosecution agreement to the
large Quebec-based engineering firm.
It's an open question
whether the Liberals will take another hit in the polls now that the
SNC-Lavalin affair has made its way back into the news. It's also an
open question whether they could survive another blow like that one.
In
early February, before polls started registering the impact of the
story first reported by the Globe and Mail, the Liberals enjoyed a
four-point lead over the Conservatives. The CBC's Canada Poll Tracker
estimated that the Liberals were still in a good position to win
another majority government, even if reduced in size, and that they had
a four-in-five chance of winning the most seats.
About three
months later — after the fallout from the story, including the expulsion
from caucus of former cabinet ministers Wilson-Raybould and Jane
Philpott, had largely settled — support for the Liberals had cratered by
seven to eight points. The Conservatives moved ahead with a six- to
seven-point lead in the polls nationwide, enough to have them knocking
on the door of a majority government of their own.
Trudeau might have suffered more of a blow than the Liberal Party itself. Polls by Abacus Data
found that 44 per cent of Canadians had a positive impression of the
prime minister at the end of 2018. By April, that had plummeted by 12
points to just 32 per cent.
Similarly, approval ratings polls
at the end of 2018 and in early 2019 put Trudeau's numbers somewhere in
the mid-to-high 30s. By the end of the spring, those scores had fallen
to around 30 per cent, with twice as many Canadians saying they
disapproved of the prime minister as those who said they approved of
him.
Liberal numbers have been trending up
The
comeback has been slow — but it appeared to have hit a tipping point
over the last few weeks.
On Aug. 12, the Poll Tracker put the gap
between the Conservatives and the Liberals at just a single point. Leads
of about six points in Ontario and 11 points in Quebec helped propel
the Liberals ahead of the Conservatives in the seat projection for the
first time since February.
Approval ratings had returned to the
mid-30s, and a series of polls put Trudeau ahead of Conservative Leader
Andrew Scheer as the person more Canadians want to see as prime
minister.
The corner, it seemed, had finally been turned for the Liberals.
But will it be turned again?
Trudeau
walks in Niagara-on-the-Lake Wednesday. His Liberals fell seven points
behind the Conservatives in national polls in the wake of the
SNC-Lavalin affair but after six months had narrowed the gap to just one
point, according to the CBC's Canada Poll Tracker. (Peter Power/The Canadian Press)
It's
possible that Canadians' views of the SNC-Lavalin affair are already
formed and that the conclusions of the ethics commissioner won't change
anything — on the one hand, confirming the opinions of those who had
long ago decided Trudeau had done wrong and, on the other, failing to
shift the views of those who feel the prime minister acted appropriately
in the face of potential job losses.
But it's also possible the
report will chip away at the benefit of the doubt some of Trudeau's
supporters have been willing to give him, particularly those who have
returned to the Liberals over the last few months.
Of
course, both scores put the issue well behind others like the economy,
taxes, health care and the environment — issues that are more likely to
be voters' focus when they finally cast their ballots two months from
now.
It
did take the Liberals some six months to regain about half of the
support they lost in the wake of the SNC-Lavalin affair, but election
campaigns have a way of shortening the time required to shift public
opinion.
In the coming weeks, the polls will reveal if the
Liberals will once again have some catching up to do. Even if the blow
is as bad as it was in the spring, they might have enough time to absorb
it. The campaign has yet to begin and, yes, campaigns actually do
matter.
But instead of launching that campaign with a little
optimism and a bit of momentum after a tough six months, the Liberals
might now find themselves back just where they started.
Éric
Grenier is a senior writer and the CBC's polls analyst. He was the
founder of ThreeHundredEight.com and has written for The Globe and Mail,
Huffington Post Canada, The Hill Times, Le Devoir, and L’actualité.
Prime
Minister Justin Trudeau said a report that his office tried to pressure
Jody Wilson-Raybould into intervening in the SNC-Lavalin case was
'false.' It was not. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)
It's hard to fathom what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was
thinking on the morning of Feb. 7, when he stood before reporters and
categorically declared, "The allegations in the Globe story are false."
The
Globe and Mail was the first to report that Trudeau's office attempted
to pressure his justice minister and attorney general, Jody
Wilson-Raybould, into intervening in the corruption and fraud case of
SNC-Lavalin.
That day, he knew that Wilson-Raybould, who he'd
shuffled out of the Justice Ministry three weeks earlier, had been
repeatedly approached by members of the Prime Minister's Office about
her reluctance to get involved
He
was told by Wilson-Raybould herself at a meeting in September 2018 of
her concerns about his staff attempting to interfere in a criminal
matter (though he would later say he couldn't specifically recall the
remark).
And surely he knew, or should have known,
that repeatedly reminding the attorney general of the potentially
cataclysmic political and economic costs of failing to secure a
remediation agreement for an important Quebec company
constituted inappropriate pressure.
Nevertheless, there was
clearly a concerted effort to see her reconsider her position. That much
was fact, and Trudeau knew it on February 7.
Trudeau: "The allegations in the Globe story are false. Neither the current nor the previous attorney general was ever directed by me or by anyone in my office to take a decision in this matter." #cdnpoli
Yet he stood before reporters that morning and called the report "false."
Not "misleading." Not "unfair." Not "half the story."
"False." Wrong. Fake news.
That was, in fact, a lie. The PMO did press Wilson-Raybould to seek a remediation agreement for SNC-Lavalin, and that pressure was inappropriate and contrary to the Conflict of Interest Act, as Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion concluded in his report on the affair, published Wednesday.
Trudeau
knew that the Globe's reporting couldn't reasonably be called "false,"
even if perhaps he believed it somewhat skewed. But he lied and told
Canadians it was wrong anyway.
Cozy relationship
With
hindsight, it seems silly to make such an unequivocal statement about
something easily verified. But a belief in one's own righteousness,
along with a record of previous political infallibility, can make a
prime minister and his staff do some very silly things.
To wit:
For months, the prime minister insisted that actions taken by his
office were always in the interest of Canadians; it wasn't about
currying favour with powerful Quebec company but simply about keeping
good jobs in Canada.
Dion's report, however, chronicles an
awfully cozy relationship between the PMO and SNC-Lavalin in which the
two seem less like government-and-lobbyist than players on the same
team.
In fact, it was SNC-Lavalin that suggested, back in
February 2018, that a new remediation agreement regime — one that could
benefit them — be included in the upcoming budget, in the interest of
expediency. The government obliged: an amendment to the Criminal Code
was included in the budget implementation bill and received royal assent
within months.
That
summer, Ben Chin, the chief of staff to the minister of finance,
reportedly tried to get an update on the status of a remediation
agreement on behalf of an anxious SNC-Lavalin. Chin was told by
Wilson-Raybould's office that an inquiry itself could be perceived as
improper interference on the independent nature of the prosecution
service.
And in December 2018, PMO senior adviser Mathieu
Bouchard exchanged text messages with an SNC-Lavalin representative who
wanted an update on a dinner conversation between Wilson-Raybould and
then-principal secretary Gerald Butts — the one in which Wilson-Raybould
said she told the PMO to stop pressuring her office about SNC-Lavalin.
Bouchard reported to the rep that the door was still open to a
remediation agreement (it was not).
'Someone like' Beverley McLachlin
Dion's
report also revealed that while Trudeau and Butts had been imploring
Wilson-Raybould to seek an opinion from "someone like" former Supreme
Court chief justice Beverley McLachlin, discussions had already taken
place between McLachlin, SNC-Lavalin's lawyer and the PMO (as well as
another retired Supreme Court justice).
Butts failed to mention
that fact during his testimony before the justice committee back in
March. Instead, he testified that, "All we ever asked the attorney
general to do was consider a second opinion." Perhaps if he had more
time he would have added: "And we already vetted and approved those
second opinions on her behalf."
On
top of it all, we learned that despite the "welcome" Trudeau publicly
offered Dion's probe, the ethics commissioner, in fact, encountered some trouble accessing relevant information and testimonies.
Call
these lies-by-omission. Or maybe half-truths. Together, they're a
chronicle of a PMO drunk on its own arrogance, so convinced of it own
moral virtue that it can rationalize trading text messages with a
criminally charged organization over a pressure campaign on the attorney
general.
This is a leadership, as we have since learned, that will kick members out of caucus for having the audacity to speak out against the prime minister, and will lie to Canadians about the veracity of a news report that has since proven true.
And
it's a prime minister who, when asked if he will apologize for it all,
chooses to respond with an answer to a question no one asked: "I can't
apologize for defending Canadian jobs." As if, six months later, anyone
is buying those lines anymore.
This column is part of CBC's Opinion section. For more information about this section, please read our FAQ.
In
the wake of a report on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's ethics
violation in the SNC-Lavalin case, The National's At Issue panel
reconvenes to discuss how much the latest chapter in this controversy
will hurt the Liberals in the upcoming federal election:
The National
Will Trudeau’s SNC-Lavalin ethics breach hit Liberals hard in election? | At Issue
In the wake of a report
on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s ethics violation in the SNC-Lavalin
case, the At Issue panel reconvenes to discuss how much the latest
chapter in this controversy will hurt the Liberals in the upcoming
federal election. 12:47
Robyn
Urback is an opinion columnist with CBC News and a producer with the
CBC's Opinion section. She previously worked as a columnist and
editorial board member at the National Post. Follow her on Twitter at:
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