Friday, February 15, 2019
Andrew Scheer and the Scandal That Never Was
Andrew Scheer is still trying to blow air into the fake scandal balloon, but it's just not working.
Most Canadians just aren't interested, and with good reason.
There's no there, there.
And they know the creepy Scheer only too well.
The serial liar, the political pervert, the monstrous hypocrite.
Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer met with the head of SNC-Lavalin in May 2018 to discuss criminal charges facing the Quebec construction giant. Scheer’s office confirmed the Conservative leader discussed the “deferred prosecution agreement” sought by SNC-Lavalin to avoid criminal fraud and corruption charges.
But beyond that there's an even bigger problem. As Thomas Walkom points out, there are only two questions that need to be answered.
At the base of the Jody Wilson-Raybould affair lie two unanswered questions: Why did Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shuffle her out of the justice portfolio? Why did she quit cabinet this week?
But while Trudeau has at least partially answered the first one.
Trudeau said he spoke to her in September and told her that the final decision on offering a plea bargain to the firm was hers alone — which by law it is.
And we do know the result.
What we do know is regardless of these and any other interventions from the prime minister or his aides, Wilson-Raybould chose not to override her officials and offer SNC-Lavalin a break.
If she was subjected to political pressure it wasn’t very effective.
But the questions Wilson Raybould must answer are just as, or even more serious, and remain totally unanswered.
Why did Wilson-Raybould quit cabinet when she did? If she objected to what she viewed as improper political pressure last fall why didn’t she quit then? If she objected to being demoted in the latest cabinet shuffle why didn’t she take her leave at that point?
Indeed, why did she quit cabinet at all? Her letter of resignation doesn’t say.
There has been some speculation that Wilson-Raybould is unhappy with the government’s progress on the Indigenous file. Is that why she quit? If that’s the case, why didn’t she say so?
Which can only lead to speculation that she quit just to spite Trudeau, and that she was the anonymous source in the Globe story for the very same reason.
Which at least until she can explain herself, leaves us with a very puny scandal indeed.
Until then we are left with a scandal that — so far — is not very scandalous.
A minister is allegedly pressured to use the statutory powers that allow her to legally override her officials. She doesn’t do so and the case in question continues on its way to trial.
If, as Conservative leader Andrew Scheer insists, this is an example of the Liberals kowtowing to their corporate friends, they are clearly not very good at it.
Yes, the truth will set us free as they say. And when it's known I'm pretty sure that a lot of people are going to lose their shirts or their credibility.
But Justin Trudeau won't be one of them.
As I said at the beginning, Canadians know Andrew Scheer all too well.
Even Valentine's Day was just another day to Schmear others.
And they've had enough. There is no there, there.
And I honestly believe this fake scandal will be the one that takes him down...
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6 comments:
Well, that clears all this up. “Justin” said so, so it has to be true.
Fact: Parliamentarians, whether on the government side or Opposition side, are allowed to meet with stakeholders as Scheer did, or as Ministers did. Lobbying is not illegal. However, possibly (remains to be proven of course) meddling in the outcome of a court case is not, and if it is proven to be, the Liberals own it.
In the meantime maybe you can post some more pre-issue polls as “proof” that this is nothing.
Thank you Simon for a great blog on this subject. From the start of this story, I’ve been perplexed as to what is motivating JWR. I think your blog hits the nail on this one. She seems to be grinding an axe that has nothing to do with SNC-Lavalin, and more to do with a personal vendetta. I think Canadians are better off with her out of Cabinet.
On an aside, there has been sleaze with some at in the top echelons at SNC-Lavalin. However, the whistleblower came from within the company, and it is a company built on traditions from Quebec’s strong entrepreneurial spirit. It is an amalgamation of many small to large engineering consulting companies over decades. This company should not fail. That’s not meant to be at the expense of any other social or economic issues that are facing Canadians. Let’s not be deplorable regionalists. Our Southerns neighbours are better at that self destructive game.
So, if JWR cannot navigate her way in politics, it seems that she made a good decision to leave Cabinet. Hopefully she will resolve her inner deamons soon.
TS
If discussing legal options in a court case that has not started is illegal why is it that Trudeau was blamed for the Khadr settlement and not Justice. They had the option to appeal and fight the case ad infinitum which the Smearmonger said he would have done if he was leader. There was absolutely no discussion about what the justice minister recommended and no question what Scheer would have done if he was in charge.
RT
A. 12:55 p.m. "it seems that she made a good decision to leave Cabinet. Hopefully she will resolve her inner deamons soon." OMG, give it a rest there. "her inner deamons"? are you a mind reader, a shrink, etc. She quit. Every one is entitled to do so. As to why, she is not required to give a reason. What if it turns out she or a family member is seriously ill and doesn't wish to tell any one? How would all of you feel then? We do not know why Ms. W.R. resigned. Lets just wait until she speaks, if she does.
I do wonder if every one would be jumping on this if she were "non Indigenous". Every one communicates in a different style. Its based on their back ground, their culture, etc. I say we respect her and her decisions.
Dear e.a.f.,
My opinion is based solely on behaviour of JWR on her being replaced at Justice. Her being indigenous has nothing do do with my opinion of her bizarre behaviour.
TS
Dear A. 9:28 p.m. in my opinion, there is nothing "bizarre" about Jody Wilson Rayboult's behaviour.
Now if you want "bizarre" behaviour in Canadian politics, come to think of it, we at one time had a P.M., MacKenzie King, who used mediums to "stay in touch" with his mother. We've had some old time Socreds in Alberta and B.C. who really, then there are all those in Quebec.......
All Jody Wilson Rayboult is doing is NOT TALKING, AS IS HER RIGHT. It maybe, give how much information is out there, and how much people talk about everything, there still is nothing in the rule books which say she has to talk. Lets respect her right to her own thoughts.
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