Trudeau Foundation Says Its Launching Independent Review of Chinese Donation

The Trudeau Foundation says it is launching an independent review of the donation it received from a Chinese regime insider.

The Foundation announced the move in an April 12 statement a few hours after La Presse reported the donation had not been returned as previously claimed, leading to an internal crisis and the resignation of the leadership team.

“Following a unanimous consensus reached by the Board prior to its dissolution, the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation is launching an independent review of its acceptance of the donation with a potential connection to the Chinese government,” says the statement sent to The Epoch Times and attributed to Edward Johnson, chair of the board.

It adds the review will be conducted by an accounting firm, itself instructed by a law firm. The Foundation says it never had previous dealings with either unspecified firms.

The controversy relates to a Globe and Mail article published on Feb. 28 saying that according to a national security source, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service had uncovered a 2014 plan by Beijing to donate to the Trudeau Foundation through Chinese businessman and regime insider Zhang Bin.

A total of $1 million would be given to the Université de Montréal, Pierre-Elliott Trudeau’s alma mater, and the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation, with $200,000 going to the latter.

The statement from Johnson says the amount was actually two payments of $70,000.

“A reimbursement cheque was issued in the name of the donor which made those payments and to which CRA charitable receipts were issued.”

This information contradicts what La Presse had reported based on unidentified directors of the Foundation who had just resigned and an internal document it obtained.

The document reportedly said the Foundation could not reimburse the donor since since the name on the cheque wasn’t the name of the real donor.

A source told La Presse this led some board members to request an investigation and the recusal of directors who were with the Foundation when the donation was received, but they reportedly refused.

The Epoch Times contacted the Trudeau Foundation to seek clarification on the discrepancies but didn’t hear back immediately.

The Foundation’s statement said that the current interim board would not be granting interviews in the coming days.

A day after the Globe had published its report on Zhang Bin, the Foundation had announced it was returning the donation.

Sources told La Presse that internal turmoil over the issue eventually led to the leadership of the Foundation resigning on April 11.

The Foundation said the resignation was due to the “political climate” surrounding the donation.

“The circumstances created by the politicization of the foundation have made it impossible to continue with the status quo,” it said in a statement.