‘Regretful’ Trudeau denies conflict of interest in WE Charity controversy
Posted September 11, 2020 1:45 pm.
Last Updated September 11, 2020 1:49 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Since news broke of the WE charity closing its Canadian operations in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the controversy over the student service grant, questions have been raised about how much the federal government should share the blame for the shut down.
But when asked that at a news conference outside Sudbury on Friday, Justin Trudeau didn’t directly answer, and made his clearest statement yet around allegations he breached the conflict of interest act.
“As I said, I regret not having recused myself in the beginning,” the Prime Minister said. “Because of the perception involved, there was no conflict of interest here.”
Trudeau’s involvement with WE generated controversy when it came to light that he had been a featured speaker at half a dozen WE events and his wife, mother and brother had been paid hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years in expenses and speaking fees.
Trudeau and former Finance Minister Bill Morneau both took part in the approval of the contract to have we deliver the grant.
Some cabinet members have said decisions on the future of we are made by the charity itself, not the government.
The ethics commissioner says the investigation is ongoing.
