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The Niagara Independent, August 16, 2019 \u2014 <\/em>It was an explosive spectacle this week when Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion made public his findings on the conduct of the Prime Minister and his Office respecting their obstruction of justice in the SNC Lavalin scandal. It was as if all of Ottawa was caught up in some WWE SmackDown extravaganza. Though the core issue may be a question of ethical leadership and a non-partisan judiciary, it was raw politics that overshadowed every public statement on the Commissioner\u2019s work.<\/p>\n The Ethics Commissioner report found the Prime Minister violated Canadian law by attempting to influence the former Justice Minister and Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould. The PM and his Office exerted continuous pressure on the former minister to advance a deferred prosecution agreement for Quebec-based engineering firm SNC-Lavalin. The Commissioner concluded: \u201cThe evidence showed there were many ways in which Mr. Trudeau, either directly or through the actions of those under his direction, sought to influence the attorney general.\u201d<\/p>\n Commissioner Dion stated: \u201cThe authority of the Prime Minister and his Office was used to circumvent, undermine and ultimately attempt to discredit the decision of the Director of Public Prosecutions as well as the authority of Ms. Wilson\u2011Raybould as the Crown\u2019s chief law officer.\u201d<\/p>\n The report cited strong-armed tactics by the Prime Minister\u2019s Office and the Privy Council Office \u2013 Canada\u2019s most senior public office-holders. The inappropriate pressure by the likes of the PM\u2019s former principal secretary Gerald Butts and former Privy Council Office clerk Michael Wernick was for \u201cpartisan political interests\u201d all to give SNC Lavalin (headquarters in the PM\u2019s riding) a deal that would avoid prosecution on bribery and corruption charges.<\/p>\n Within Commissioner Dion\u2019s report there are many facts that are now being made public, such as: SNC Lavalin lobbyists began their discussions with PM Trudeau in 2016 shortly after the Liberal Government was elected; and, the PMO pressure campaign continued long after Jody Wilson-Raybould told the PM and his officials that their actions were improper, and should cease.<\/p>\n Canadians now know \u201cLavScam\u201d has been an orchestrated and sustained political power-play by PM Justin Trudeau and his PMO operative Gerald Butts that spans years. Though the detailed report named many conspirators in the sordid activity, Commissioner Dion concluded Prime Minister Justin Trudeau bears the blame.<\/p>\n The PM\u2019s response to the Ethic Commissioner\u2019s conclusion was swift and the news headlines in the Toronto Star and with CBC heralded his key message: \u201cI take responsibility.\u201d Indeed, PM Trudeau stated he accepts\u00a0full responsibility for what transpired. However, in his media conference, this assertion was nuanced and PM Trudeau remained unapologetic to his former minister and to Canadians for what he now acknowledges was his obstruction of justice.<\/p>\n Justin Trudeau said, \u201cWe recognize the\u00a0way that this happened shouldn\u2019t have happened\u2026 My job as prime minister is to stand up for Canadians and defend their interests. Yes, it is essential that we do that in a way that defends our institutions and upholds prosecutorial independence, but we need to talk about the impacts on Canadians right across the country of decisions being made. I can\u2019t apologize for standing up for Canadian jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n The following day the Prime Minister repeated the rationale that his sense of \u201cwhat is in the public interest\u201d will trump any notion of an unencumbered Canadian judiciary. \u201cI\u2019m not going to apologize for standing up for Canadians\u2019 jobs because that\u2019s my job \u2014 to make sure that Canadians, communities and families across the country are supported, and that\u2019s what I will always do.\u201d<\/p>\n Many found this response incredulously inappropriate. As political columnist Brian Lilley puts it: \u201cApparently to Trudeau, helping a company that has a long history of bribery and corruption avoid criminal charges is in the best interests of the country. In Trudeau\u2019s world, having politicians decide which individuals or corporations get prosecuted criminally, based on electoral considerations, is in the interests of the country.\u201d<\/p>\n For her part, Jody Wilson-Raybould responded in a written statement that the Ethic Commissioner\u2019s report was a vindication as it \u201c confirms critical facts, consistent with what I shared with Canadians, and affirms the position I have taken from the outset.\u201d Wilson-Raybould observed:\u00a0\u201cIn a country as great as Canada, essential values and principles that are the foundation for our freedoms and system of government should be actively upheld by all, especially those in positions of public trust. We should not struggle to do this; and we should not struggle to acknowledge when we have acted in ways that do not meet these standards.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n The fall-out from the initial news of the Ethic Commissioner\u2019s report has been a score of opinion pieces that reassess the circumstances surrounding the SNC Lavalin scandal. Opposition Leaders are calling for a RCMP investigation and claiming Justin Trudeau has lost his moral authority to govern. In response, the Liberal campaign machine has launched a social media campaign \u201cIStandWithTrudeau\u201d to defend the PM, and deflect and devalue the facts within the report.<\/p>\n It is a SmackDown. Ottawa\u2019s political spin-masters know that in the arena of public opinion, whoever wins this round will have the momentum going into the election campaign. The fact that the Prime Minister is guilty of obstruction of justice is secondary to the political match playing itself out. In one corner, PM Trudeau and his BFF Gerald Butts; and, in the other corner Madame Justice (not Jody Wilson-Raybould, but the fundamental principles that should underpin our Canadian justice system). It would be remarkable entertainment if it was not so very important.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Chris George<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0is an Ottawa-based government affairs advisor and wordsmith, president of\u00a0CG&A COMMUNICATIONS<\/a>. Contact:\u00a0ChrisG.George@gmail.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n