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==Background== |
==Background== |
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On February |
On February 19, 2015, [[Royal_Canadian_Mounted_Police|RCMP]] and [[Public_Prosecution_Service_of_Canada|Public Prosecution Service of Canada]] laid charges against [[SNC-Lavalin|SNC-Lavalin Group Inc.]], SNC-Lavalin International Inc. and SNC-Lavalin Construction Inc. Each firm has been charged with one count of fraud under section 380 of the Criminal Code of Canada and one count of corruption under Section 3(1)(b) of the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act. The charges stemmed from the activities of the companies in [[Libya]] under [[Muammar Gaddafi]] government from 2001 to 2011. It was alleged that the company bribed public officials with $48 million and defrauded organizations of an estimated $130 million. <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.snclavalin.com/en/media/press-releases/snc-lavalin-contests-the-federal-charges-2.aspx|title=SNC-Lavalin contests the federal charges by the public prosecution service of Canada, and will enter a non-guilty plea}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=SUTHERLAND, Anne |url=https://montrealgazette.com/business/local-business/rmcp-charges-snc-lavalin-with-corruption|title=RCMP charges SNC-Lavalin with corruption, fraud |work=Montreal Gazette}}</ref> |
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On February 7, 2019 ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'' reported that the [[Office of the Prime Minister (Canada)|Prime Minister's Office]] pressured Attorney General [[Jody Wilson-Raybould]] to consider a deferred prosecution agreement for [[SNC-Lavalin]]. [[Prime Minister of Canada|Prime Minister]] [[Justin Trudeau]] denied his office pressured [[Minister of Justice (Canada)|Attorney General]] Jody Wilson-Raybould at the [[Department of Justice (Canada)|Justice Department]].<ref>{{cite news |author=Thompson, Elizabeth |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-snc-lavalin-fraud-corruption-1.5009578 |title=Trudeau under fire over claim he pressured justice minister to intervene in SNC-Lavalin fraud case |work=CBC News |date=February 7, 2019}}</ref> |
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On February 11, 2019 [[Ethics Commissioner (Canada)|Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner]] [[Mario Dion]] launched a federal investigation into the alleged political interference by the Prime Minister's Office to pressure Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould after mounting pressure from the [[New Democratic Party]] and the [[Conservative Party of Canada|Conservative Party]].<ref>{{cite news |author=Tasker, John Paul |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ethics-commissioner-pmo-snc-lavalin-1.5014435 |title=Trudeau says he has 'confidence' in Wilson-Raybould as ethics commissioner probes PMO over SNC-Lavalin |work=CBC News |date=February 11, 2019}}</ref> |
On February 11, 2019 [[Ethics Commissioner (Canada)|Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner]] [[Mario Dion]] launched a federal investigation into the alleged political interference by the Prime Minister's Office to pressure Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould after mounting pressure from the [[New Democratic Party]] and the [[Conservative Party of Canada|Conservative Party]].<ref>{{cite news |author=Tasker, John Paul |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ethics-commissioner-pmo-snc-lavalin-1.5014435 |title=Trudeau says he has 'confidence' in Wilson-Raybould as ethics commissioner probes PMO over SNC-Lavalin |work=CBC News |date=February 11, 2019}}</ref> |
Revision as of 01:36, 3 March 2019
The SNC-Lavalin affair also known as SNC-Lavalin controversy or SNC-Lavalin scandal is an ongoing political scandal in Canada involving alleged political interference by personnel in the Prime Minister's Office who allegedly pressured Jody Wilson-Raybould when she was the Minister of Justice and Attorney General to consider a deferred prosecution agreement for Quebec construction giant[1] SNC-Lavalin.[2]
Background
On February 19, 2015, RCMP and Public Prosecution Service of Canada laid charges against SNC-Lavalin Group Inc., SNC-Lavalin International Inc. and SNC-Lavalin Construction Inc. Each firm has been charged with one count of fraud under section 380 of the Criminal Code of Canada and one count of corruption under Section 3(1)(b) of the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act. The charges stemmed from the activities of the companies in Libya under Muammar Gaddafi government from 2001 to 2011. It was alleged that the company bribed public officials with $48 million and defrauded organizations of an estimated $130 million. [3][4]
On February 7, 2019 The Globe and Mail reported that the Prime Minister's Office pressured Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould to consider a deferred prosecution agreement for SNC-Lavalin. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau denied his office pressured Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould at the Justice Department.[5]
On February 11, 2019 Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion launched a federal investigation into the alleged political interference by the Prime Minister's Office to pressure Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould after mounting pressure from the New Democratic Party and the Conservative Party.[6]
Hearings
The Justice Committee of the House of Commons held a hearing on February 27, 2019 where the Former Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould provided her testimony. In her testimony she detailed an alleged obstruction campaign by senior members of the Prime Minister's Office pressuring her to come to an agreement with SNC-Lavalin and help the company avoid criminal prosecution.[7]
Aftermath
Jody Wilson-Raybould resigned as Minister of Veterans Affairs from Justin Trudeau's cabinet on February 12, 2019.[8]
Gerald Butts who served as the Senior Political Aide to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau denied he was one of the personnel who pressured the Attorney General and resigned on February 18, 2019.[9]
Footnotes
- ^ The Globe and Mail (April 30, 2018). "Rankings for construction companies". The Globe and Mail.
- ^ Fife, Robert (February 7, 2019). "PMO pressed Wilson-Raybould to abandon prosecution of SNC-Lavalin; Trudeau denies his office 'pressured' her". The Globe and Mail.
- ^ "SNC-Lavalin contests the federal charges by the public prosecution service of Canada, and will enter a non-guilty plea".
- ^ SUTHERLAND, Anne. "RCMP charges SNC-Lavalin with corruption, fraud". Montreal Gazette.
- ^ Thompson, Elizabeth (February 7, 2019). "Trudeau under fire over claim he pressured justice minister to intervene in SNC-Lavalin fraud case". CBC News.
- ^ Tasker, John Paul (February 11, 2019). "Trudeau says he has 'confidence' in Wilson-Raybould as ethics commissioner probes PMO over SNC-Lavalin". CBC News.
- ^ Tasker, John Paul (February 28, 2019). "Key moments from Jody Wilson-Raybould's SNC-Lavalin testimony". CBC News.
- ^ BBC (February 13, 2019). "Canada minister Jody Wilson-Raybould resigns amid SNC-Lavalin affair". BBC News.
- ^ Ottawa Citizen (February 18, 2019). "Full statement: Gerald Butts' resignation letter". Ottawa Citizen.
References
- Austen, Ian (February 15, 2019). "The Strange Story Behind the SNC-Lavalin Affair". The New York Times. Retrieved February 28, 2019.