Canada - A House Divided

Liberals, NDP and Bloc Vote to Shut Down Committee Meeting Before RCMP Commissioner Can Even Testify

Photo by Guillaume Jaillet on Unsplash

Amid a climate of contentious politics, the actions of the Liberal Party of Canada throughout the SNC-Lavalin affair provide a window into political maneuvering aimed at retaining power in the face of dwindling support.

The recent shutdown of a committee meeting intended to question the RCMP Commissioner on the SNC-Lavalin probe underscores the extent to which the Liberals, supported by the NDP and Bloc Québécois, may go to avoid scrutiny and maintain power.

The SNC-Lavalin affair has been a thorn in the side of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who was accused of pressuring the then-Justice Minister and Attorney General, Jody Wilson-Raybould, to halt criminal prosecution against SNC-Lavalin. The recent abrupt adjournment of a committee meeting by Liberal, NDP, and Bloc MPs before the RCMP commissioner could testify exemplifies a cover-up to shield Trudeau from further examination. This move has drawn sharp criticisms from opposition MPs, who view it as a blatant attempt to thwart transparency and accountability.

The SNC-Lavalin affair relates to corruption and fraud charges against the company concerning around $48 million in payments made to Libyan government officials between 2001 and 2011. The controversy intensified when it was revealed that Trudeau pressured then-justice minister Jody Wilson-Raybould to halt a criminal prosecution of SNC-Lavalin. This move was later found to violate the Conflict of Interest Act.