Canada's Leader Broke Ethics Law, Says Report New Zealand Officials
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THE NEW YORK TIMES INTERNATIONAL THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2019 N A7 cal adviser at the height of the dis- pute. Mr. Butts has since joined Canada’s Leader Broke Mr. Trudeau’s campaign as an ad- viser. The ethics commissioner, Mr. Ethics Law, Says Report Dion, found that Mr. Trudeau and his staff made four efforts to “bend the will” of Ms. Wilson-Ray- bould. He concluded that because Finding Comes Just Months Before Vote Mr. Trudeau’s worries over jobs were “inextricably linked to SNC- By IAN AUSTEN Manitoba in Winnipeg, said Cana- Lavalin’s private interests,” any OTTAWA — Canada’s federal dians generally respected non- discussion by the prime minister ethics commissioner found on partisan officials like Mr. Dion, with Ms. Wilson-Raybould was Wednesday that Prime Minister adding to the power of his find- improper and against the law. Justin Trudeau had violated an ings. But Professor Koop said the Various versions of events were ethics law in his handling of a cor- timing of the report — in the mid- presented at parliamentary hear- porate criminal case — a conclu- dle of summer, when many Cana- ings this year and in statements sion that could imperil Mr. dians’ minds are on vacation from Ms. Wilson-Raybould, Mr. Trudeau’s bid for a second term rather than politics — may work Trudeau and his aides. just months before national elec- against it as a defining issue in the While Mr. Scheer, who will be tions. October vote. Mr. Trudeau’s main challenger in In a long-awaited report, the Mr. Trudeau came to office in the election, has called for Mr. commissioner, Mario Dion, said 2015 with great fanfare, as a new Trudeau to resign, on Wednesday Mr. Trudeau had used his office face with a new approach to poli- he said that no longer makes “to circumvent, undermine and ul- tics — what he called “sunny sense so close to the election. timately attempt to discredit” the ways.” He created a gender-bal- “I believe Canadians will make former justice minister and attor- anced cabinet. He promised to the right choice and get rid of a ney general, Jody Wilson-Ray- push for protections against cli- scandal-plagued prime minister,” bould, by improperly pressuring mate change while also protecting DARRYL DYCK/THE CANADIAN PRESS, VIA ASSOCIATED PRESS Mr. Scheer told reporters. her to seek a civil penalty against Canada’s energy industry. He said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada at a fund-raiser in Surrey, British Columbia, this month. Amanda Bittner, a political sci- SNC-Lavalin, a major engineering the country should reconcile with entist at Memorial University in company, rather than a criminal its Indigenous population, cor- St. John’s, Newfoundland, called conviction. recting historical wrongs. when Ms. Wilson-Raybould, a for- tween a prime minister and the at- as Canada, essential values and the controversy a “power scan- This, the commissioner said, But after Ms. Wilson-Raybould mer First Nations regional chief torney general was inappropriate. principles that are the founda- dal” and, as such, is “usually seen broke a longstanding tradition of accused the prime minister and from British Columbia, was ap- Ms. Wilson-Raybould did not tions of our freedoms and system as worse, for example, than a sex isolating the justice system from members of his staff of trying to pointed to the cabinet. agree to pursue a civil penalty in of government should be actively scandal or other morality issue.” political influence. push her on the case, his reputa- Mr. Trudeau has steadfastly re- the SNC-Lavalin case — the crimi- upheld by all.” But she said that some voters may “The way this happened tion took a hit. fused to apologize and has charac- nal case is still proceeding — and Another prominent woman in overlook it if they believe it will shouldn’t have happened, and I Mr. Trudeau’s political oppo- terized the dispute as a difference she was eventually moved to a Mr. Trudeau’s cabinet, Jane help bring Mr. Scheer and his Con- take responsibility for the mis- nents argued that his treatment of of opinion. less prestigious cabinet position. Philpott, quit in solidarity with servatives to power. takes that I made,” Mr. Trudeau Ms. Wilson-Raybould showed that On Wednesday, though, Mr. She later left Mr. Trudeau’s cab- Ms. Wilson-Raybould, and was Mr. Trudeau’s continued avoid- said on Wednesday at an event in he was an old-fashioned politician Trudeau acknowledged that he inet altogether, and was thrown also removed from the party, fur- ance of an apology after admitting Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, an- who plays back-room politics failed to properly balance judicial out of the Liberal caucus by the ther damaging the prime min- he made mistakes also puzzled swering reporters’ questions after even if those rooms are no longer independence with the need to prime minister. ister’s standing with women. Both Professor Koop. the report was released. “The filled with smoke. save jobs, and he promised that On Wednesday, Ms. Wilson- women are seeking re-election as “I don’t think he’s doing much to buck stops with the prime min- “He promised he would be dif- systems were being developed to Raybould said in a statement independent candidates. help himself,” Professor Koop ister.” ferent,” said Andrew Scheer, the prevent a recurrence. posted on Facebook that the re- In an attempt to deflect criti- said. “Canadians are more forgiv- In the case at the center of the Conservative leader, speaking on Still, Mr. Trudeau said that he port “represents a vindication.” cism of the prime minister, Gerald ing than politicians give them controversy, the Montreal-based Wednesday after the ethics com- disagreed with the ethics commis- She added: “I also have feelings Butts, a close friend of Mr. credit for. A sincere apology often SNC-Lavalin was charged with missioner issued his report. “We sioner’s view that any contact be- of sadness. In a country as great Trudeau, resigned as his top politi- works wonders.” bribing officials in Libya to win now know, beyond a shadow of a contracts there, and defrauding doubt, that Justin Trudeau is not the Libyan government when as advertised.” Muammar el-Qaddafi, the Libyan Jagmeet Singh, the leader of the dictator, held power. New Democratic Party, which is to The prime minister said that in the left of the Liberals, was simi- arguing for a civil penalty he was larly critical of the prime minister. “Congratula!ons to the Newest Lawyers of Dis!nc!on” not trying to strong-arm Ms. Wil- “The deep concern is that Mr. Lawyers of Dis$nc$on Members have been selected based upon a review and ve!ng process by our Selec$on Commi"ee u$lizing U.S. son-Raybould, but was acting out Trudeau, the prime minister, was Provisional Patent # 62/743,254. Lawyers cannot pay to be nominated. Member selec$on is based upon a proprietary analysis, u$lizing both of concern for thousands of jobs in working to benefit the interest of a objec$ve and subjec$ve factors. Lawyers of Dis$nc$on is not affiliated with any State Bar Associa$on or the District of Columbia Bar Associa$on. Canada. A criminal conviction multimillionaire corporation and would bar SNC-Lavalin from bid- was working to benefit his own ding on government contracts, a self-interest to get re-elected,” Mr. Alabama Colorado Cont. Indiana Nevada Cont. New York Cont. significant part of its business. Singh told reporters in Vancouver, Donald D. Knowlton, Esq. R. Scott Reisch, Esq. Tammy Meyer, Esq. James M. Jimmerson, Esq. Mary LaManna-Ulrich, Esq. Although Mr. Trudeau faces no British Columbia. “This is just un- Jim “Trey” Norman, III, Esq. Sean Wells, Esq. Charles Jones, Esq. Eli Uncyk, Esq. Iowa direct penalty as a result of the acceptable — it is outrageous.” Augusta Massey, Esq. Elisabeth A. Vreeburg, Esq. Arizona Connecticut Raphael Scheetz, Esq. Robert McBride, Esq. Jerome Wisselman, Esq. ethics commissioner’s finding, its Some women, whose votes Jodi Bain, Esq. Kimberly Graham, Esq. Roger O’Donnell, Esq. Ramin Younessi, Esq. release just weeks before cam- helped ensure the Liberals’ vic- Michelle Booge, Esq. David A. Moraghan, Esq. Kansas Justin Smerber, Esq. paigning begins for the October tory in 2015, have said that Ms. Brian Holohan, Esq. Zach Thomas, Esq. Weston Spann, Esq. North Carolina Kirk Walker, Esq. Jerry Allen, Esq. elections gives his adversaries Wilson-Raybould’s accusations GinaMarie K. Spencer, Esq. Florida Evan Abramowitz, Esq. Kentucky Jorgelina Araneda, Esq. plenty of ammunition. It also re- that he tried to improperly pres- Arkansas Stephen V. Barszcz, Esq. Aaron Whaley, Esq. New Hampshire Vanessa Ceravolo, Esq. kindles an issue that caused his sure her — even bully her — un- Harold Cook, Esq. Jay Bartlett, Esq. John FitzGerald, III, Esq. Katrina Church-Pope, Esq. James Bargar, Esq. Abigail Beebe, Esq. Louisiana John Ward, Esq. Stephen Coggins, Esq. Liberal Party to plummet in the dermined his claim that he is a Steven Durio, Esq. Mark Ihnat, Esq. Andrew Bellinson, Esq. New Jersey polls, and drew criticism from his feminist. Louise Caro, Esq. Peter Losavio, Jr., Esq. David Jones, Esq. California Evans Chris Agrapidis, Esq. own supporters. The controversy has also Richard Chait, Esq. Lila Samuel, Esq. Eileen Mullen, Esq. Akram Abusharar, Esq. Anthony Carbone, Esq. John Chalif, Esq. Jacqueline Scott, Esq. Martin Ramey, Esq. Royce Koop, a professor of polit- soured relations with some Indig- Adrian Adams, Esq. Richard Diamond, Esq. Gary Cohen, Esq. Lori Waters, Esq. John Veach, Esq. ical science at the University of enous people who were elated GeorgewAldrich, Esq.