I tend to stay away from federal political stories in this blog. Mostly because there are so many provincial stories that it keep me busy enough.
However, I’m a Canadian and a politician. So, I feel it’s impossible to let the latest chapter in the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau/SNC-Lavalin affair go without a comment.
Like many Canadians, I’ve been watching this affair unfold. I held my tongue as our Members of Parliament worked to expose the truth from one side of the issue and the others. Without being in Ottawa I decided it’s best to let my federal colleagues do their work.
So why comment now? What has changed? The release of the Ethics Commissioner’s report and the Prime Minister’s reluctance to be accountable or even apologize. The findings are deeply troubling and Prime Minister Trudeau’s response is what drove me to feel the need to plant a flag here.
Ethical leadership
While the Liberal Party of Canada is going to try to spin this situation into an election imperative: are Canadians really okay with a Conservative government? (Because they would like you to believe that would be the result of undermining Trudeau.) Or, as the Prime Minister stated himself, do we believe he was just doing his job of protecting Canadian jobs.
I’m sorry, but his job is to lead our country and to do it ethically. It is also his job to maintain the honour and integrity of our government.
As an elected official myself, I am vitally aware of the fact that my actions, and how I undertake my duties, is a reflection of the institution of our government. If it is okay for the person holding the highest office in the land to “disagree” with the Ethics Commissioners ruling but accept “full responsibility” for a situation that cost him two highly competent and celebrated Cabinet Ministers, if that is the precedent he is setting, then I guess nobody needs to be accountable for anything under his leadership. Also, if he is taking responsibility, then why is he not accountable? Further, why is it that his former Justice Minister is the only one who is paying a price for an ethical breach that the Prime Minister is accepting responsibility for?
Wait it out?
As a Canadian it’s appalling and as an elected official it’s deeply troubling. There was a time that Prime Ministers, Premiers and Cabinet Ministers were accountable for their actions, the actions of their staff and the activities that occurred under their supervision. In order to preserve the integrity of our government, to ensure people could still trust their politicians when scandals were uncovered, leaders publicly fell on their sword. The integrity of government was maintained because somebody in a position of power and authority paid a price, allowing the government to move on. That principle appears to have gone extinct in Canada and now there is a new approach, hunker down and wait it out, apparently with the hope we will all forget it ever happened.
This is about accountability for unethical behaviour. If we can’t have that then what have we?
I appreciate your blog, Adam,and read it most days. I’m glad you waded in here. I have always supported Elizabeth May when I lived in Saanich and now will support the new woman candidate in Victoria, Racelle Kooy. But what is the alternative to the Liberals? I am appalled at how Trudeau treated Jody Wilson-Raybould; I always believed her and this latest chapter is not his finest hour by a long shot. He needs to apologize to our former Justice Minster as well as to Jane Philpott and to us, the Canadian people. We Canadians have values. Our mothers taught us to apologize when we are wrong. But surely it will be Scher which horrifies me. I hope tomorrow’s blog is your vision for a realistic alternative. Thank you very much for all you are and all you do.
Well said Adam.
Thanks Adam
He is a great disappointment as a leader. His fancy words are another attempt to avoid taking action to remedy the situation. As long as people fall for his carefully crafted words, he can fool them into thinking he is doing the right thing. I stopped falling for his words long ago when I saw that he took no action or real accountability. Just saying you take responsibility and then to not take any remedial action is just acting for the TV camera, not for the country.
Not to mention that there is a litany of cases regarding the acts of provincial politicians right here in BC that has been backlogged for the better part of two decades. I can easily understand that others will have ideas on how society runs that differ from mine, but the back room deals, the lack of truth-telling and the selling of government favours under cover of cabinet privilege, or triple-delete, or by whatever means is an unforgivable sin. It also appears to be endemic at all levels of government and in far too many jurisdictions.
Couldn’t agree more Adam. The PM’s actions in this and other revelations bring discredit to his party and has revealed an ugly side to his leadership. Trudeau is not a person I would recommend my children and grandchildren look up to and consider a role model. Rather, his
record is one of cynicism and arrogance. I lament the direction that politics has taken on Trudeau’s watch.
Post cabinet shake-up I watched as Jody approached the press after her accepting the appointment of Cabinet Minister for Veterans Affairs. She was offended by one reporter’s question on how she felt about the “demotion”. I found that interesting because her body language seemed to suggest utter shock and disappointment, whilst her words chastised the reporter and said “I consider it an honour to represent our Veterans” etc., etc.
Not one word of condemnation for the PM, but lots intimated for the media.
I find it disappointing that she did not honour her commitment. The Veterans she gave her word to represent were let down. So was I. She seemed such a promising and honourable Minister to that point – indeed one destine to perhaps attain greatness.
The “good is oft interred with the bones” or something to that effect one Englishman wrote so many Centuries ago. I feel sorry for the Prime Minister. Some mistakes, many accomplishment, many more in progress and yet the unfortunate recipient of the proverbial woman’s scorn. From one woman of the thousands and thousands he worked to support.
In her wisdom perhaps Jody will now help Mr. Scheer do the right thing.
Very unfortunate for all. JR
Thank you for this blog post Adam. You have succinctly articulated the deterioration in ethical behaviour that some of our federal representatives believe to be allowable. It is obvious that our politics at all levels requires elected representatives, let along staff, to be accountable for their actions and face consequences for transgressions of a strong moral and ethical code.
Adam…I think it is pretty expected that most of we Greens fully agree with you. Justin has been pretty disappointing as a PM and the time has come to refuse acceptance of ‘pragmatism’ as a justification for unethical and illegal political maneuvers. When actions compromise character and laws this badly, it is hard to believe that such ends can justify such means.
He joins Harper in this respect
To answer your final question, rhetorical though it may be: CORRUPTION and CHAOS
I guess Trudeau thinks Harper got away with it, “why can’t I?”
Thanks for being bold enough to make a statement about this sad situation.
As a Canadian and a voter, I’m disturbed too, but I am also somewhat detached.
Why am I detached?
I believe the kinds of things that J.T. is now being held accountable for have been going on for decades, maybe centuries, and he’s just the dummy who got caught.
He is a victim of his own proclaimed vision of ‘better’ governance, because the woman who called him out had the courage to speak up – something that may not have been possible in previous, white- male-dominated governments.
Philpott is not the hero people think she is* and I believe she is just riding on the coat-tails of this situation for her own gain. (*Lyme Disease patients can tell you the history).
J.T. proved his weak metal when he failed to deliver electoral reform.
So what he has a ‘blind trust’? He surely knew what assets were in it before this scandal started, and I’m willing to bet that his investments still motivate him, even subconsciously, to act in ways he wouldn’t if he didn’t have daddy’s big trust fund.
I don’t trust J.T. , but I feel that way about all the leaders and politicians.
J.T. is no better – he just got caught and is behaving like the entitled schoolboy he is.
Harper got away with far worse – including destroying so many archives and records that were important to Canada. Nobody stopped Harper until the election and even then we didn’t stop him the first time.
I’ve met with you and emailed you about the need for Justice Reform in Canada. I believe we need it even more than we need Electoral reform. However, it wasn’t in your portfolio and I was told to go find 10 organizations who would write letters and propose a fix before you’d do anything about it. I was too sick to do that then and now I don’t believe it would matter anyways, although I have regularly been sending updates and references on the issue of Justice Reform to your office in lieu of letters from organizations.
I have no faith in any party or party leader, at any level.
So, I see this scandal, and I think ‘so what? nothing new here and nothing will change for the future’.
Even if I’m wrong and somehow this issue sticks to J.T., it won’t change the past or the future.
Hi Adam. I was wondering if you could the threat to loss of human life in the event of the TMX completion.
To date we have tried everything that should have been near, dear and important from Orca and salmon extinction to Indigenous Rights. And none of that has stopped this behemoth project.
I come at this as a nurse and a Canadian. Where did it become “National Interest” to accept loss of human life in industrial accidents as acceptable risk of doing business? The “human life factor” has slipped through the cracks on this and I find that shocking and telling of the times we are living in.
There are 2.5 million people who live in the greater metro Vancouver area. Should there be a tank farm fire, tanker collision with another vessel or one of the bridges, there is NO WAY to evacuate 2.5 million. Unprepared first responders who do not know the gas and chemical content of the released condensate cloud are disadvantaged to help effectively. Kinder Morgan has not had to release that info. The hospitals will not be able to manage a crisis of that size.
Based on Benzene along people will experience burning in their mucous membranes…their eyes, the nose, throat and lungs. Panicking people who are unable to breathe may try to flee to safety but will not be able to because we
Will be trapped. There is no means of evacuation. The BC government is telling people to seal doors and windows and stay in a windowless room for an unknown amount of days…if they can shelter at home and if air leaks are a minimum. If people are caught outside there will be fatalities especially the fragile…the very young and very old.
I am horrified that this major risk to human life is being dismissed. That the requests from CAPE Canadian Ass. of Physicians for the Environment for a human health impacts study be undertaken which at also being ignored.
Do the lives of the people on Burnaby Mountain, The Indigenous, the people who live around the Inlet with their families, the grandparents, people with pre-existing respiratory issues that are just barely coping with summer pollutants let alone bitumen and a toxic condensate cloud. Do these lives mean nothing in the face of a political deal they claim is in the National Interest?
We need answers. We need to know how to prepare. How will we be warned? Do we need gas masks in our cars and homes?
I humbly request any influence you have in this situation be brought to bear to help alleviate anxiety that is building as “shovels in the ground approaches”.
L Johansen, BScN
University of Victoria alumni
Ethics and the law are two different things. I heard total acceptance of accountability and a definite refusal to apologize for doing his job.
I only wish I could have crafted reason in so few works. Thank you.
I find interesting Mr. Cully’s comments of Aug 17 7:37 related to not wanting his children or grandchildren looking up to PM Trudeau.
From personal experience, watching one of my own daughters do just that as one of his French students at Sir Winston Churchill High School in Vancouver, I found his encouraging her to learn, grow, contribute and tolerate inspired her to become the extraordinary high school special educations teacher that her peers, parents and students apparently believe she is today.
Perhaps Peter’s suggested alternative role models are doing the same for his children and grandchildren – then again, perhaps not. JR
I just can’t wrap my head around the Albertans who just think getting their horrible toxic product to TIDEWATER without considering the cons of the whole business. I find nothing on the pro side that is enlightening. Remember this, J,T. was elected because he said there would never be a pipeline for this toxic product! Yes he said that! That’s why he got my vote, shame on me! To top off the betrayal he bought the old decrepit pipeline and now wants to twin it with another! Can we just send him back to being a college teacher where he belongs minus the pension he expects to get from we, the tax payer?
Harper had 70 violations. Under no circumstances should we let the CONS get back into power. Ever.
I believe any party that commits such violations while in power should be permanently disbanded and barred.
https://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2015/08/10/Harper-Abuses-of-Power-Final/
Which I guess raises the question on how we should treat Elizabeth May.
A single member representing one party knowingly, not just breaking the law, but slapping the Supreme Court of Canada in the face at the same time vs a PM representing hundreds of members making an ethical mistake.
Should the Greens be permanently disbanded and Elizabeth barred?
Personally I think not – but perhaps you disagree.