Current Affairs

Issue

The Canadian federal Ethics Commissioner has given clean chit to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for his role in awarding a no-bid contract to an organisation having links to his family.

 

Background

The WE scandal emerged as a further setback for Trudeau and his Liberal Party after it lost its parliamentary majority.

 

Details

• The scandal led to the resignation of finance minister Bill Morneau, who also had family ties with the organisation and was accused of misusing his position.

• There was an allegation that the minister has failed to recuse himself in issue in which he had a direct influence and gave preferential treatment.

 

The scandal

• The Canadian government had given WE charity a no-bid contract for implementing emergency volunteer programme for Covid-19 impacted children.

• The scandal broke out after it was found out that the charity had links to family of Trudeau as well as Morneau.

• Trudeau’s family members including his wife, brother and mother had received payments for attending charity events of WE charity. Morneau had taken a trip sponsored by WE Charity.

• Trudeau and Morneau have both apologised for failing to recuse themselves when they have direct and private stake in the decision.

• The ethics commissioner has said that the accused made a genuine mistake and there was no deliberate attempt to influence decision making.