Trudeau Says SNC-Lavalin Affair ‘Settled’ After RCMP Says Investigation Was Limited by Stonewalling

Trudeau Declares SNC-Lavalin Affair Resolved Despite RCMP’s Hindered Investigation

February 28, 2024 TruthUSA

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau dismissed recent opposition inquiries about the SNC-Lavalin scandal as “dwelling on the past” despite RCMP Commissioner Michael Duheme’s admission that the Privy Council Office (PCO) blocked access to information, hindering the RCMP’s investigation.

During Question Period on Feb. 28, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and Mr. Trudeau engaged in a heated exchange on the matter, with Mr. Poilievre linking Commissioner Duheme’s remarks to potential future disclosure of relevant documents in ongoing ArriveCan investigations.

“The RCMP commissioner stated that [Mr. Trudeau] not only refused to cooperate in the SNC-Lavalin criminal probe… but also prevented crucial Cabinet documents from being part of those investigations,” Mr. Poilievre stated.

“So, once again, will the prime minister waive Cabinet confidentiality and release all the [ArriveCan] documents?”

“The opposition is delving into the past to resurrect issues that were resolved many years ago,” Mr. Trudeau retorted.

Commissioner Duheme testified before the House of Commons ethics committee on Feb. 27, which has initiated a study on the RCMP’s decision not to pursue a criminal investigation into Mr. Trudeau’s involvement in the SNC-Lavalin scandal.

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investigation into Mr. Trudeau for potential obstruction of justice and intimidation of a justice system participant. This investigation stemmed from Mr. Trudeau’s decision to remove then-attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould from Cabinet due to her stance on prosecuting SNC-Lavalin.

Mr. Trudeau had allegedly encouraged Ms. Wilson-Raybould to provide a deferred prosecution agreement to the Quebec engineering firm, now known as AtkinsRéalis since September 2023, over allegations of corruption and fraud in Libya, according to the federal ethics commissioner’s findings.

On Feb. 28, Mr. Poilievre stressed the necessity of full access to all pertinent documents for Auditor General Karen Hogan to determine the total cost of ArriveCan.

Mr. Trudeau acknowledged the seriousness of the ArriveCan matter but did not commit to releasing any documents.

“We are taking concerns around procurement seriously,” he stated. “There will be repercussions for anyone who exploited our COVID protection measures for personal gain.”

Ms. Hogan’s report on Feb. 12 revealed that the ArriveCan app incurred a total cost of $59.5 million to verify individuals’ COVID-19 vaccine status upon entry into Canada. However, the report highlighted the lack of precise cost details due to insufficient documentation on the app’s procurement and development.

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