The damage already done by Jody Wilson-Raybould’s resignation
Trudeau 'surprised' by minister's resignation
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Trudeau 'surprised' by minister's resignation
Trudeau said he's asked David Lametti, who replaced Wilson-Raybould as justice minister and attorney general, to advise him about waiving solicitor-client privilege. However, he said: "There's a real danger — and it's been flagged for me — of unintended consequences, particularly because there are two court cases ongoing directly related to this matter that could be impacted by such a decision we might make."
Trudeau noted that solicitor-client privilege would not have prevented Wilson-Raybould from coming to him last fall if she felt she was being improperly pressured.
Scheer also wrote to Trudeau, calling on him to ensure that all documents — including "memos, letters, emails, PINs, SMS messages and handwritten notes" — pertaining to the case are preserved.
Both Scheer and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh called on the Liberals to support an opposition motion to have the House of Commons justice committee investigate the allegation that Wilson-Raybould was pressured. The committee is scheduled to consider the motion on Wednesday.
"Now more than ever, it is imperative that the Liberal government support the work of the justice committee that will be looking into whether there was illegal interference with the independent exercise of the former attorney general's responsibilities," Singh said in a statement.
"If Justin Trudeau and the Liberal government shut the justice committee's work down, it would send a dangerous signal to Canadians about the state of our democracy."
Liberals, who hold the majority on the committee, appear to be open to conducting an investigation. And on Monday, Trudeau said he welcomed news that federal ethics commissioner Mario Dion has initiated his own investigation into the matter, specifically whether there's been a violation of a Conflict of Interest Act provision that prohibits a public office holder from seeking to influence a decision so as to improperly further another person's private interests.
Wilson-Raybould had been Canada's first Indigenous justice minister and the face of Trudeau's commitment to make reconciliation his top priority.
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