“What Justin Trudeau said in his March 7th non-apology confirms that he believed Jody Wilson-Raybould was facing pressure from his staff�, said Julian. “By saying that he didn’t consider the pressure unusual, the Prime Minister was clear that there was pressure being applied. This directly contradicts what Minister Lametti and his Parliamentary Secretary said in the House on February 7th and 8th.�
Julian raised his concerns during his first day in the House since being named NDP House Leader for the fourth time. Julian pointed out that even if the Justice Minister and Parliamentary Secretary had accidently or unknowingly misled the House, their statements can still be found to impede or obstruct MPs in the discharge of their duties. The Speaker is expected to rule on the question within the next few days.
“This is an extremely serious matter. These easily avoidable false statements are not just a breech of MPs’ privileges, they are a breech of the trust and faith that Canadians have put in Parliament�, said Julian. “Each time the Liberals change and revise their story, they abuse that trust. This is why the NDP has called for a full public inquiry on the SNC-Lavalin scandal. We need a complete picture of what occurred, and I don’t think anyone trusts this government to provide it. “
- 30 -
For more information, please contact:
Parliamentary Office of MP Peter Julian, 613-992-4214 [email protected]