SNC-Lavalin – I am not going to call that liar a liar edition
So episode 90 – a new record. But you know that right? Because you subscribe to the show on iTunes and have already rated and reviewed the podcast – right? You should.
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By now you know the story. Canada’s former Attorney General and Minister of Justice Jody Wilson-Rayboul testified before the House of Commons Justice Committee about the SNC-Lavalin scandal. Her allegations were explosive. And then Gerald Butts, the Prime Minister’s best friend and former chief secretary, who had resigned because of this scandal and who the Liberals on the Justice committee voted against inviting to testify, begged to respond.
And so he was invited to testify.
Butts delivered the most coherent defence of the government’s actions – not a high bar to cross. It all sounded pretty reasonable. He said he was not there to cast aspersions on anyone or to suggest that anybody is deliberately misleading anyone else – but then basically testified that Wilson-Raybould was a liar, a poor historian, and a minister who did not understand her own files.
But does Butts’ version of events really stack up on a closer look? Is simply raising a doubt about government impropriety enough when the rule of law is at stake.
We offer our unedited hot take.
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Emilie Taman on Twitter: @EmilieTaman
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