QUESTION PERIOD — Prime Minister’s Office
SNC-Lavalin
April 3, 2019
My question is for the government leader in the Senate.
Yesterday, Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott were kicked out of the Liberal Party as a consequence for telling the truth and standing up for the rule of law. In an open letter released after her dismissal, Dr. Philpott stated:
Rather than acknowledge the obvious — that a range of individuals had inappropriately attempted to pressure the former Attorney General in relation to a prosecutorial decision — and apologize for what occurred, a decision was made to attempt to deny the obvious — to attack Jody Wilson-Raybould’s credibility and attempt to blame her . . . .
I was not able to support the recommended response to deny these allegations.
Senator Harder, can you tell us how punishing and silencing these two former cabinet ministers is an example of doing politics differently, as Prime Minister Trudeau once promised Canadians?
I thank the honourable senator for his question. Let me simply say that the decisions with respect to who is and who is not in a caucus in the other chamber is for that chamber and their caucus to determine, not for me to comment on.
I thank you for your limited response.
This government is going to great lengths to try to conceal the details of its attempted interference in a criminal prosecution. La Presse recently reported on access to information requests seeking the Clerk of the Privy Council’s letters, emails and documents regarding the SNC-Lavalin affair. PCO responded that the ATIP request could not be answered for 240 days or until a month after the next federal election.
Senator Harder, we see what is going on here. This type of request should take 30 days, not 240 days. How much further will the government go to hide the truth from Canadians?
Again, I thank the honourable senator for his question. Let me remind the chamber that this government has initiated the inquiry by the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner in the other place. That process has the strength of that office, which is independent and which has, as the honourable senator will know, the powers of a superior court judge to render findings as he determines them to be.
The Prime Minister has also engaged the former Deputy Prime Minister, the former Minister of Justice and Attorney General, to provide advice by the end of June of this year with respect to the relationship between the Attorney General function and cabinet and the role of staff on both sides.
The government is taking these measures very seriously. It has, as the honourable senator will know, provided comfort to the former minister and Attorney General to speak, and to speak even though she would otherwise be encumbered by her cabinet oath on matters that relate to these series of events. Those hearings have been held and dealt with in the other chamber.
I think it’s important to underscore that this government has gone to quite extraordinary lengths to ensure that voice has been given and that the appropriate authorities will have ongoing roles in this matter.
