09.13.2019 06:24 AM

#LavScam latest: Trudeau lies, shifts blame to bureaucrats

Globe:

Legal and political experts are rejecting Justin Trudeau’s statement that it is up to Canada’s top bureaucrat to decide whether to lift the veil of cabinet secrecy over the SNC-Lavalin affair, saying that waiving confidentiality is a political decision in the hands of the prime minister.

Retired judge John Gomery, who led a public inquiry into the federal sponsorship program in 2004 and 2005, said he was initially rebuffed by senior bureaucrats when he asked for access to cabinet minutes related to the national-unity initiative, which was marred by fraud and corruption. The Liberal prime minister of the day, Paul Martin, eventually over rode the senior bureaucrats and agreed to provide access to all available information.

“It is a political decision,” Mr. Gomery said in an interview. 

…Yan Campagnolo, a professor of common law at the University of Ottawa, said that except in matters before the courts, the decision to release cabinet secrets is made at the political level through an order in council adopted by cabinet ministers.

“Outside the context of litigation, the only individual with the political authority to authorize the disclosure of cabinet confidences is the prime minister,” he said.

“The Prime Minister is the only person with the authority to broaden the scope of that order in council if it is deemed too narrow,” Mr. Campagnolo said.

10 Comments

  1. the real Sean says:

    It would almost be impossible for Team Corruption to have had a worse start. Campaign Bus crashes into Campaign Plane. Leader refuses to debate. Gomery
    of all people… to make it perfectly delicious… tells the world that Zoolander is lying about covering up a scandal.

  2. Jeanbatte says:

    Trudeau lies. Really???

  3. Robert White says:

    Tactically, it makes not one bit of sense for Prime Minister Trudeau to volunteer information or provide access to information outside of formal access to information channels or requests for information that contain cabinet agreement for confidentiality.

    My take on the right-of-center punditry is that most are simply belly aching over the fact that PM Trudeau will not voluntarily fall on his sword for the Conservative Party so that they can win the election outright.

    Trudeau’s political advisors are not that naïve.

    RW

    • Richard Brownbill says:

      I dont understand how there is any tactical advantage for a prime minister who ran on transparency and openness to blatantly and arrogantly lie to his constituents. Especially in Canada, where truthfulness still has a modicum of value.

    • Joseph says:

      So if he has nothing to hide, why wouldn’t he completely waive confidentiality like his predecessor did?

  4. Of course, Trudeau won’t broaden the CC confidentiality waiver because even he knows that if it all comes spilling out, he’s definitely going to be out of a job. That’s the only reason why they’ve held the line.

    • Walter says:

      I think it’s more about avoiding a criminal record that just losing a job.
      Although, if he keeps his job he can likely keep hiding the truth in perpetuity.

  5. Warren,

    Maybe you can clue us all in about what’s the deal with the Liberal election placards??? Here in Quebec, they are the exact opposite of bright, sunny ways: morose, blood-red in colour sprinkled with heavy black printing. They look like ads for some guy’s funeral…I should buy the person who handled that, over at LPC, a beer! He or she must really need cheering up.

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