Image
File
issue 33// vol 46
The Third Trudeau Scandal
» Prime Minister’s family receives large financial compensation from charity
Timothy Easling
Contributor
pr Minister Justin Trudeau has been
rocked by yet another
ethics scandal—his third
breach of the Conflict of
Interest Act—thanks to his
involvement in the selection
of WE Charity as the
distributor of a $g00-million
Canada Student Service
Grant program. Both Trudeau
and Finance Minister Bill
Morneau have family ties to
the charity but failed to recuse
themselves from discussions
involving the organization.
Both Trudeau's mother,
Margaret, and his brother,
Alexandre, have received
financial compensation from
WE for speaking at various
events. Margaret totalled
$250,000 for 28 separate
appearances and Alexandre
$32,000 from eight different
occasions. Sophie Grégoire
Trudeau, Trudeau's wife, was
also paid for her participation
in several WE Days; she
still runs a podcast through
WE. Additionally, all three
have been reimbursed for
their expenses—separate
from speaking fees—with
Margaret, Alexandre, and
Sophie Grégoire averaging
$5,998, $2,447, and $3,618 per
event respectively. Trudeau
himself has spoken at many
WE events—allegedly without
ever receiving funds.
The available data
directly contradicts what
WE has said on the matter:
“The charity has never
paid an honorarium to
these individuals for their
involvement in these
programs and events.” The
charity also said that Sophie
Grégoire Trudeau's role as an
“ambassador and ally” has
been “entirely on a volunteer
basis and travel expenses
related to this involvement
were paid for by WE Charity.’
Bloc Québécois Leader
Yves-Francois Blanchet
summarized the thoughts of
some others in office, saying
that Trudeau “cannot create a
program which seemed to be
custom made, tailored for an
c¢
going to notice a billion dollar contract
given to people who are very close to the
prime minister’s family?[...] When asked
straightforward questions about whether
to their communities, not about benefits to
anyone else.”
Morneau’s ties are his daughters,
Grace Acan and Clare Morneau. Grace is
When asked straightforward questions about whether his family
was receiving money from WE, the prime minister should have told
the truth and he didn’t tell the truth. That's why he’s in trouble.”
news // no. 5
or Halifax would notice if there was a $400
expense they didn’t pay. Youre saying that a
$41,000 expense happened right under your
nose and you didn’t know about it until the
very day you were set to
testify at a parliamentary
committee?”
Despite all the
personal connections
to the charity, neither
Trudeau nor Morneau
recused themselves from
discussions. The contract
which would have seen
$43.5-million allocated
to WE to administer the
program was supposed to
distribute the remaining
$500-million to students.
The $912-million total
figure has been suggested
as being dependent on
interest in the program.
At least 20
organizations were
supposed to have been
considered, but many were
never actually contacted.
Trudeau has defended
the decision to award the
contract to WE: “Quite
frankly, when our public
servants looked at the
potential partners, only
the WE organization had
the capacity to deliver the
ambitious program that
young people need for this
summer that is so deeply
impacted by COVID.”
However, his words have
drawn disbelief from those
in the charity sector.
“Tt is absolutely
incorrect to believe
that WE is the only
organization in Canada
that can implement this
program, and there is
no doubt that in order
to deliver what they've
committed to, they will
have to collaborate with
other organizations,” said
Maryann Kerr—CEO
of the Medalist Group,
a boutique firm that
provides philanthropic and
organizational health services
to the social-profit sector—
to CBC. Paula Speevak,
president and CEO of
Volunteer Canada addressed
that concern directly, noting
that her organization had
Photo of Justin Trudeau via Wikimedia Commons
organization, that gave $250,000
of contracts to his mother,
$30,000 of contracts to his brother, while
his own wife is a spokesperson for the same
organization. All of that is unacceptable
[...] For a few months, I think the prime
minister must step aside and leave the
function, the responsibilities, to the deputy
prime minister [...] because for the time
being he cannot be considered as being
qualified to keep doing the job.”
NDP MP Charlie Angus was similarly
frustrated on a CBC broadcast: “Did
they really think that people weren't
his family was receiving money from WE,
the prime minister should have told the
truth and he didn’t tell the truth. That’s
why he’s in trouble.’
The Prime Minister’s Office responded
to this by mentioning that Trudeau's family
“engage with a variety of organizations and
support many personal causes on their own
accord. What is important to remember
here is that this is about a charity
supporting students. The Canada Student
Service Grant program is about giving
young people opportunities to contribute
a contract employee and Clare has spoken
at three events. Morneau also went on two
WE trips with family in 2017; one trip was
to Kenya and the other to Ecuador. The
travel costs amounted to $41,366—a total
that he quickly reimbursed to WE when
the story broke. “I did not know that those
expenses were not paid. I did not have any
awareness of that. It was a mistake and I
take responsibility for it.”
Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre
didn’t accept the finance minister's apology.
“The average Canadian living in Red Deer
been contacted by WE
about making use of their
contacts for a fee. A main concern for
Speevak was the slippery slope of stipends
for volunteers, calling out the program's
structure that essentially works out to $10/
hour: “We felt it was really important that
you dont give the impression that you're
paid for volunteering. We don’t want
people to be paid less than minimum wage
and for it to be called volunteering. We
wanted there to be clarity—volunteers give
their time freely because of their passion or
compassion.”
The Third Trudeau Scandal
» Prime Minister’s family receives large financial compensation from charity
Timothy Easling
Contributor
pr Minister Justin Trudeau has been
rocked by yet another
ethics scandal—his third
breach of the Conflict of
Interest Act—thanks to his
involvement in the selection
of WE Charity as the
distributor of a $g00-million
Canada Student Service
Grant program. Both Trudeau
and Finance Minister Bill
Morneau have family ties to
the charity but failed to recuse
themselves from discussions
involving the organization.
Both Trudeau's mother,
Margaret, and his brother,
Alexandre, have received
financial compensation from
WE for speaking at various
events. Margaret totalled
$250,000 for 28 separate
appearances and Alexandre
$32,000 from eight different
occasions. Sophie Grégoire
Trudeau, Trudeau's wife, was
also paid for her participation
in several WE Days; she
still runs a podcast through
WE. Additionally, all three
have been reimbursed for
their expenses—separate
from speaking fees—with
Margaret, Alexandre, and
Sophie Grégoire averaging
$5,998, $2,447, and $3,618 per
event respectively. Trudeau
himself has spoken at many
WE events—allegedly without
ever receiving funds.
The available data
directly contradicts what
WE has said on the matter:
“The charity has never
paid an honorarium to
these individuals for their
involvement in these
programs and events.” The
charity also said that Sophie
Grégoire Trudeau's role as an
“ambassador and ally” has
been “entirely on a volunteer
basis and travel expenses
related to this involvement
were paid for by WE Charity.’
Bloc Québécois Leader
Yves-Francois Blanchet
summarized the thoughts of
some others in office, saying
that Trudeau “cannot create a
program which seemed to be
custom made, tailored for an
c¢
going to notice a billion dollar contract
given to people who are very close to the
prime minister’s family?[...] When asked
straightforward questions about whether
to their communities, not about benefits to
anyone else.”
Morneau’s ties are his daughters,
Grace Acan and Clare Morneau. Grace is
When asked straightforward questions about whether his family
was receiving money from WE, the prime minister should have told
the truth and he didn’t tell the truth. That's why he’s in trouble.”
news // no. 5
or Halifax would notice if there was a $400
expense they didn’t pay. Youre saying that a
$41,000 expense happened right under your
nose and you didn’t know about it until the
very day you were set to
testify at a parliamentary
committee?”
Despite all the
personal connections
to the charity, neither
Trudeau nor Morneau
recused themselves from
discussions. The contract
which would have seen
$43.5-million allocated
to WE to administer the
program was supposed to
distribute the remaining
$500-million to students.
The $912-million total
figure has been suggested
as being dependent on
interest in the program.
At least 20
organizations were
supposed to have been
considered, but many were
never actually contacted.
Trudeau has defended
the decision to award the
contract to WE: “Quite
frankly, when our public
servants looked at the
potential partners, only
the WE organization had
the capacity to deliver the
ambitious program that
young people need for this
summer that is so deeply
impacted by COVID.”
However, his words have
drawn disbelief from those
in the charity sector.
“Tt is absolutely
incorrect to believe
that WE is the only
organization in Canada
that can implement this
program, and there is
no doubt that in order
to deliver what they've
committed to, they will
have to collaborate with
other organizations,” said
Maryann Kerr—CEO
of the Medalist Group,
a boutique firm that
provides philanthropic and
organizational health services
to the social-profit sector—
to CBC. Paula Speevak,
president and CEO of
Volunteer Canada addressed
that concern directly, noting
that her organization had
Photo of Justin Trudeau via Wikimedia Commons
organization, that gave $250,000
of contracts to his mother,
$30,000 of contracts to his brother, while
his own wife is a spokesperson for the same
organization. All of that is unacceptable
[...] For a few months, I think the prime
minister must step aside and leave the
function, the responsibilities, to the deputy
prime minister [...] because for the time
being he cannot be considered as being
qualified to keep doing the job.”
NDP MP Charlie Angus was similarly
frustrated on a CBC broadcast: “Did
they really think that people weren't
his family was receiving money from WE,
the prime minister should have told the
truth and he didn’t tell the truth. That’s
why he’s in trouble.’
The Prime Minister’s Office responded
to this by mentioning that Trudeau's family
“engage with a variety of organizations and
support many personal causes on their own
accord. What is important to remember
here is that this is about a charity
supporting students. The Canada Student
Service Grant program is about giving
young people opportunities to contribute
a contract employee and Clare has spoken
at three events. Morneau also went on two
WE trips with family in 2017; one trip was
to Kenya and the other to Ecuador. The
travel costs amounted to $41,366—a total
that he quickly reimbursed to WE when
the story broke. “I did not know that those
expenses were not paid. I did not have any
awareness of that. It was a mistake and I
take responsibility for it.”
Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre
didn’t accept the finance minister's apology.
“The average Canadian living in Red Deer
been contacted by WE
about making use of their
contacts for a fee. A main concern for
Speevak was the slippery slope of stipends
for volunteers, calling out the program's
structure that essentially works out to $10/
hour: “We felt it was really important that
you dont give the impression that you're
paid for volunteering. We don’t want
people to be paid less than minimum wage
and for it to be called volunteering. We
wanted there to be clarity—volunteers give
their time freely because of their passion or
compassion.”
Edited Text
issue 33// vol 46
The Third Trudeau Scandal
» Prime Minister’s family receives large financial compensation from charity
Timothy Easling
Contributor
pr Minister Justin Trudeau has been
rocked by yet another
ethics scandal—his third
breach of the Conflict of
Interest Act—thanks to his
involvement in the selection
of WE Charity as the
distributor of a $g00-million
Canada Student Service
Grant program. Both Trudeau
and Finance Minister Bill
Morneau have family ties to
the charity but failed to recuse
themselves from discussions
involving the organization.
Both Trudeau's mother,
Margaret, and his brother,
Alexandre, have received
financial compensation from
WE for speaking at various
events. Margaret totalled
$250,000 for 28 separate
appearances and Alexandre
$32,000 from eight different
occasions. Sophie Grégoire
Trudeau, Trudeau's wife, was
also paid for her participation
in several WE Days; she
still runs a podcast through
WE. Additionally, all three
have been reimbursed for
their expenses—separate
from speaking fees—with
Margaret, Alexandre, and
Sophie Grégoire averaging
$5,998, $2,447, and $3,618 per
event respectively. Trudeau
himself has spoken at many
WE events—allegedly without
ever receiving funds.
The available data
directly contradicts what
WE has said on the matter:
“The charity has never
paid an honorarium to
these individuals for their
involvement in these
programs and events.” The
charity also said that Sophie
Grégoire Trudeau's role as an
“ambassador and ally” has
been “entirely on a volunteer
basis and travel expenses
related to this involvement
were paid for by WE Charity.’
Bloc Québécois Leader
Yves-Francois Blanchet
summarized the thoughts of
some others in office, saying
that Trudeau “cannot create a
program which seemed to be
custom made, tailored for an
c¢
going to notice a billion dollar contract
given to people who are very close to the
prime minister’s family?[...] When asked
straightforward questions about whether
to their communities, not about benefits to
anyone else.”
Morneau’s ties are his daughters,
Grace Acan and Clare Morneau. Grace is
When asked straightforward questions about whether his family
was receiving money from WE, the prime minister should have told
the truth and he didn’t tell the truth. That's why he’s in trouble.”
news // no. 5
or Halifax would notice if there was a $400
expense they didn’t pay. Youre saying that a
$41,000 expense happened right under your
nose and you didn’t know about it until the
very day you were set to
testify at a parliamentary
committee?”
Despite all the
personal connections
to the charity, neither
Trudeau nor Morneau
recused themselves from
discussions. The contract
which would have seen
$43.5-million allocated
to WE to administer the
program was supposed to
distribute the remaining
$500-million to students.
The $912-million total
figure has been suggested
as being dependent on
interest in the program.
At least 20
organizations were
supposed to have been
considered, but many were
never actually contacted.
Trudeau has defended
the decision to award the
contract to WE: “Quite
frankly, when our public
servants looked at the
potential partners, only
the WE organization had
the capacity to deliver the
ambitious program that
young people need for this
summer that is so deeply
impacted by COVID.”
However, his words have
drawn disbelief from those
in the charity sector.
“Tt is absolutely
incorrect to believe
that WE is the only
organization in Canada
that can implement this
program, and there is
no doubt that in order
to deliver what they've
committed to, they will
have to collaborate with
other organizations,” said
Maryann Kerr—CEO
of the Medalist Group,
a boutique firm that
provides philanthropic and
organizational health services
to the social-profit sector—
to CBC. Paula Speevak,
president and CEO of
Volunteer Canada addressed
that concern directly, noting
that her organization had
Photo of Justin Trudeau via Wikimedia Commons
organization, that gave $250,000
of contracts to his mother,
$30,000 of contracts to his brother, while
his own wife is a spokesperson for the same
organization. All of that is unacceptable
[...] For a few months, I think the prime
minister must step aside and leave the
function, the responsibilities, to the deputy
prime minister [...] because for the time
being he cannot be considered as being
qualified to keep doing the job.”
NDP MP Charlie Angus was similarly
frustrated on a CBC broadcast: “Did
they really think that people weren't
his family was receiving money from WE,
the prime minister should have told the
truth and he didn’t tell the truth. That’s
why he’s in trouble.’
The Prime Minister’s Office responded
to this by mentioning that Trudeau's family
“engage with a variety of organizations and
support many personal causes on their own
accord. What is important to remember
here is that this is about a charity
supporting students. The Canada Student
Service Grant program is about giving
young people opportunities to contribute
a contract employee and Clare has spoken
at three events. Morneau also went on two
WE trips with family in 2017; one trip was
to Kenya and the other to Ecuador. The
travel costs amounted to $41,366—a total
that he quickly reimbursed to WE when
the story broke. “I did not know that those
expenses were not paid. I did not have any
awareness of that. It was a mistake and I
take responsibility for it.”
Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre
didn’t accept the finance minister's apology.
“The average Canadian living in Red Deer
been contacted by WE
about making use of their
contacts for a fee. A main concern for
Speevak was the slippery slope of stipends
for volunteers, calling out the program's
structure that essentially works out to $10/
hour: “We felt it was really important that
you dont give the impression that you're
paid for volunteering. We don’t want
people to be paid less than minimum wage
and for it to be called volunteering. We
wanted there to be clarity—volunteers give
their time freely because of their passion or
compassion.”
The Third Trudeau Scandal
» Prime Minister’s family receives large financial compensation from charity
Timothy Easling
Contributor
pr Minister Justin Trudeau has been
rocked by yet another
ethics scandal—his third
breach of the Conflict of
Interest Act—thanks to his
involvement in the selection
of WE Charity as the
distributor of a $g00-million
Canada Student Service
Grant program. Both Trudeau
and Finance Minister Bill
Morneau have family ties to
the charity but failed to recuse
themselves from discussions
involving the organization.
Both Trudeau's mother,
Margaret, and his brother,
Alexandre, have received
financial compensation from
WE for speaking at various
events. Margaret totalled
$250,000 for 28 separate
appearances and Alexandre
$32,000 from eight different
occasions. Sophie Grégoire
Trudeau, Trudeau's wife, was
also paid for her participation
in several WE Days; she
still runs a podcast through
WE. Additionally, all three
have been reimbursed for
their expenses—separate
from speaking fees—with
Margaret, Alexandre, and
Sophie Grégoire averaging
$5,998, $2,447, and $3,618 per
event respectively. Trudeau
himself has spoken at many
WE events—allegedly without
ever receiving funds.
The available data
directly contradicts what
WE has said on the matter:
“The charity has never
paid an honorarium to
these individuals for their
involvement in these
programs and events.” The
charity also said that Sophie
Grégoire Trudeau's role as an
“ambassador and ally” has
been “entirely on a volunteer
basis and travel expenses
related to this involvement
were paid for by WE Charity.’
Bloc Québécois Leader
Yves-Francois Blanchet
summarized the thoughts of
some others in office, saying
that Trudeau “cannot create a
program which seemed to be
custom made, tailored for an
c¢
going to notice a billion dollar contract
given to people who are very close to the
prime minister’s family?[...] When asked
straightforward questions about whether
to their communities, not about benefits to
anyone else.”
Morneau’s ties are his daughters,
Grace Acan and Clare Morneau. Grace is
When asked straightforward questions about whether his family
was receiving money from WE, the prime minister should have told
the truth and he didn’t tell the truth. That's why he’s in trouble.”
news // no. 5
or Halifax would notice if there was a $400
expense they didn’t pay. Youre saying that a
$41,000 expense happened right under your
nose and you didn’t know about it until the
very day you were set to
testify at a parliamentary
committee?”
Despite all the
personal connections
to the charity, neither
Trudeau nor Morneau
recused themselves from
discussions. The contract
which would have seen
$43.5-million allocated
to WE to administer the
program was supposed to
distribute the remaining
$500-million to students.
The $912-million total
figure has been suggested
as being dependent on
interest in the program.
At least 20
organizations were
supposed to have been
considered, but many were
never actually contacted.
Trudeau has defended
the decision to award the
contract to WE: “Quite
frankly, when our public
servants looked at the
potential partners, only
the WE organization had
the capacity to deliver the
ambitious program that
young people need for this
summer that is so deeply
impacted by COVID.”
However, his words have
drawn disbelief from those
in the charity sector.
“Tt is absolutely
incorrect to believe
that WE is the only
organization in Canada
that can implement this
program, and there is
no doubt that in order
to deliver what they've
committed to, they will
have to collaborate with
other organizations,” said
Maryann Kerr—CEO
of the Medalist Group,
a boutique firm that
provides philanthropic and
organizational health services
to the social-profit sector—
to CBC. Paula Speevak,
president and CEO of
Volunteer Canada addressed
that concern directly, noting
that her organization had
Photo of Justin Trudeau via Wikimedia Commons
organization, that gave $250,000
of contracts to his mother,
$30,000 of contracts to his brother, while
his own wife is a spokesperson for the same
organization. All of that is unacceptable
[...] For a few months, I think the prime
minister must step aside and leave the
function, the responsibilities, to the deputy
prime minister [...] because for the time
being he cannot be considered as being
qualified to keep doing the job.”
NDP MP Charlie Angus was similarly
frustrated on a CBC broadcast: “Did
they really think that people weren't
his family was receiving money from WE,
the prime minister should have told the
truth and he didn’t tell the truth. That’s
why he’s in trouble.’
The Prime Minister’s Office responded
to this by mentioning that Trudeau's family
“engage with a variety of organizations and
support many personal causes on their own
accord. What is important to remember
here is that this is about a charity
supporting students. The Canada Student
Service Grant program is about giving
young people opportunities to contribute
a contract employee and Clare has spoken
at three events. Morneau also went on two
WE trips with family in 2017; one trip was
to Kenya and the other to Ecuador. The
travel costs amounted to $41,366—a total
that he quickly reimbursed to WE when
the story broke. “I did not know that those
expenses were not paid. I did not have any
awareness of that. It was a mistake and I
take responsibility for it.”
Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre
didn’t accept the finance minister's apology.
“The average Canadian living in Red Deer
been contacted by WE
about making use of their
contacts for a fee. A main concern for
Speevak was the slippery slope of stipends
for volunteers, calling out the program's
structure that essentially works out to $10/
hour: “We felt it was really important that
you dont give the impression that you're
paid for volunteering. We don’t want
people to be paid less than minimum wage
and for it to be called volunteering. We
wanted there to be clarity—volunteers give
their time freely because of their passion or
compassion.”
The Third Trudeau Scandal
» Prime Minister’s family receives large financial compensation from charity
Timothy Easling
Contributor
pr Minister Justin Trudeau has been
rocked by yet another
ethics scandal—his third
breach of the Conflict of
Interest Act—thanks to his
involvement in the selection
of WE Charity as the
distributor of a $g00-million
Canada Student Service
Grant program. Both Trudeau
and Finance Minister Bill
Morneau have family ties to
the charity but failed to recuse
themselves from discussions
involving the organization.
Both Trudeau's mother,
Margaret, and his brother,
Alexandre, have received
financial compensation from
WE for speaking at various
events. Margaret totalled
$250,000 for 28 separate
appearances and Alexandre
$32,000 from eight different
occasions. Sophie Grégoire
Trudeau, Trudeau's wife, was
also paid for her participation
in several WE Days; she
still runs a podcast through
WE. Additionally, all three
have been reimbursed for
their expenses—separate
from speaking fees—with
Margaret, Alexandre, and
Sophie Grégoire averaging
$5,998, $2,447, and $3,618 per
event respectively. Trudeau
himself has spoken at many
WE events—allegedly without
ever receiving funds.
The available data
directly contradicts what
WE has said on the matter:
“The charity has never
paid an honorarium to
these individuals for their
involvement in these
programs and events.” The
charity also said that Sophie
Grégoire Trudeau's role as an
“ambassador and ally” has
been “entirely on a volunteer
basis and travel expenses
related to this involvement
were paid for by WE Charity.’
Bloc Québécois Leader
Yves-Francois Blanchet
summarized the thoughts of
some others in office, saying
that Trudeau “cannot create a
program which seemed to be
custom made, tailored for an
c¢
going to notice a billion dollar contract
given to people who are very close to the
prime minister’s family?[...] When asked
straightforward questions about whether
to their communities, not about benefits to
anyone else.”
Morneau’s ties are his daughters,
Grace Acan and Clare Morneau. Grace is
When asked straightforward questions about whether his family
was receiving money from WE, the prime minister should have told
the truth and he didn’t tell the truth. That's why he’s in trouble.”
news // no. 5
or Halifax would notice if there was a $400
expense they didn’t pay. Youre saying that a
$41,000 expense happened right under your
nose and you didn’t know about it until the
very day you were set to
testify at a parliamentary
committee?”
Despite all the
personal connections
to the charity, neither
Trudeau nor Morneau
recused themselves from
discussions. The contract
which would have seen
$43.5-million allocated
to WE to administer the
program was supposed to
distribute the remaining
$500-million to students.
The $912-million total
figure has been suggested
as being dependent on
interest in the program.
At least 20
organizations were
supposed to have been
considered, but many were
never actually contacted.
Trudeau has defended
the decision to award the
contract to WE: “Quite
frankly, when our public
servants looked at the
potential partners, only
the WE organization had
the capacity to deliver the
ambitious program that
young people need for this
summer that is so deeply
impacted by COVID.”
However, his words have
drawn disbelief from those
in the charity sector.
“Tt is absolutely
incorrect to believe
that WE is the only
organization in Canada
that can implement this
program, and there is
no doubt that in order
to deliver what they've
committed to, they will
have to collaborate with
other organizations,” said
Maryann Kerr—CEO
of the Medalist Group,
a boutique firm that
provides philanthropic and
organizational health services
to the social-profit sector—
to CBC. Paula Speevak,
president and CEO of
Volunteer Canada addressed
that concern directly, noting
that her organization had
Photo of Justin Trudeau via Wikimedia Commons
organization, that gave $250,000
of contracts to his mother,
$30,000 of contracts to his brother, while
his own wife is a spokesperson for the same
organization. All of that is unacceptable
[...] For a few months, I think the prime
minister must step aside and leave the
function, the responsibilities, to the deputy
prime minister [...] because for the time
being he cannot be considered as being
qualified to keep doing the job.”
NDP MP Charlie Angus was similarly
frustrated on a CBC broadcast: “Did
they really think that people weren't
his family was receiving money from WE,
the prime minister should have told the
truth and he didn’t tell the truth. That’s
why he’s in trouble.’
The Prime Minister’s Office responded
to this by mentioning that Trudeau's family
“engage with a variety of organizations and
support many personal causes on their own
accord. What is important to remember
here is that this is about a charity
supporting students. The Canada Student
Service Grant program is about giving
young people opportunities to contribute
a contract employee and Clare has spoken
at three events. Morneau also went on two
WE trips with family in 2017; one trip was
to Kenya and the other to Ecuador. The
travel costs amounted to $41,366—a total
that he quickly reimbursed to WE when
the story broke. “I did not know that those
expenses were not paid. I did not have any
awareness of that. It was a mistake and I
take responsibility for it.”
Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre
didn’t accept the finance minister's apology.
“The average Canadian living in Red Deer
been contacted by WE
about making use of their
contacts for a fee. A main concern for
Speevak was the slippery slope of stipends
for volunteers, calling out the program's
structure that essentially works out to $10/
hour: “We felt it was really important that
you dont give the impression that you're
paid for volunteering. We don’t want
people to be paid less than minimum wage
and for it to be called volunteering. We
wanted there to be clarity—volunteers give
their time freely because of their passion or
compassion.”
The Third Trudeau Scandal
» Prime Minister’s family receives large financial compensation from charity
Timothy Easling
Contributor
pr Minister Justin Trudeau has been
rocked by yet another
ethics scandal—his third
breach of the Conflict of
Interest Act—thanks to his
involvement in the selection
of WE Charity as the
distributor of a $g00-million
Canada Student Service
Grant program. Both Trudeau
and Finance Minister Bill
Morneau have family ties to
the charity but failed to recuse
themselves from discussions
involving the organization.
Both Trudeau's mother,
Margaret, and his brother,
Alexandre, have received
financial compensation from
WE for speaking at various
events. Margaret totalled
$250,000 for 28 separate
appearances and Alexandre
$32,000 from eight different
occasions. Sophie Grégoire
Trudeau, Trudeau's wife, was
also paid for her participation
in several WE Days; she
still runs a podcast through
WE. Additionally, all three
have been reimbursed for
their expenses—separate
from speaking fees—with
Margaret, Alexandre, and
Sophie Grégoire averaging
$5,998, $2,447, and $3,618 per
event respectively. Trudeau
himself has spoken at many
WE events—allegedly without
ever receiving funds.
The available data
directly contradicts what
WE has said on the matter:
“The charity has never
paid an honorarium to
these individuals for their
involvement in these
programs and events.” The
charity also said that Sophie
Grégoire Trudeau's role as an
“ambassador and ally” has
been “entirely on a volunteer
basis and travel expenses
related to this involvement
were paid for by WE Charity.’
Bloc Québécois Leader
Yves-Francois Blanchet
summarized the thoughts of
some others in office, saying
that Trudeau “cannot create a
program which seemed to be
custom made, tailored for an
c¢
going to notice a billion dollar contract
given to people who are very close to the
prime minister’s family?[...] When asked
straightforward questions about whether
to their communities, not about benefits to
anyone else.”
Morneau’s ties are his daughters,
Grace Acan and Clare Morneau. Grace is
When asked straightforward questions about whether his family
was receiving money from WE, the prime minister should have told
the truth and he didn’t tell the truth. That's why he’s in trouble.”
news // no. 5
or Halifax would notice if there was a $400
expense they didn’t pay. Youre saying that a
$41,000 expense happened right under your
nose and you didn’t know about it until the
very day you were set to
testify at a parliamentary
committee?”
Despite all the
personal connections
to the charity, neither
Trudeau nor Morneau
recused themselves from
discussions. The contract
which would have seen
$43.5-million allocated
to WE to administer the
program was supposed to
distribute the remaining
$500-million to students.
The $912-million total
figure has been suggested
as being dependent on
interest in the program.
At least 20
organizations were
supposed to have been
considered, but many were
never actually contacted.
Trudeau has defended
the decision to award the
contract to WE: “Quite
frankly, when our public
servants looked at the
potential partners, only
the WE organization had
the capacity to deliver the
ambitious program that
young people need for this
summer that is so deeply
impacted by COVID.”
However, his words have
drawn disbelief from those
in the charity sector.
“Tt is absolutely
incorrect to believe
that WE is the only
organization in Canada
that can implement this
program, and there is
no doubt that in order
to deliver what they've
committed to, they will
have to collaborate with
other organizations,” said
Maryann Kerr—CEO
of the Medalist Group,
a boutique firm that
provides philanthropic and
organizational health services
to the social-profit sector—
to CBC. Paula Speevak,
president and CEO of
Volunteer Canada addressed
that concern directly, noting
that her organization had
Photo of Justin Trudeau via Wikimedia Commons
organization, that gave $250,000
of contracts to his mother,
$30,000 of contracts to his brother, while
his own wife is a spokesperson for the same
organization. All of that is unacceptable
[...] For a few months, I think the prime
minister must step aside and leave the
function, the responsibilities, to the deputy
prime minister [...] because for the time
being he cannot be considered as being
qualified to keep doing the job.”
NDP MP Charlie Angus was similarly
frustrated on a CBC broadcast: “Did
they really think that people weren't
his family was receiving money from WE,
the prime minister should have told the
truth and he didn’t tell the truth. That’s
why he’s in trouble.’
The Prime Minister’s Office responded
to this by mentioning that Trudeau's family
“engage with a variety of organizations and
support many personal causes on their own
accord. What is important to remember
here is that this is about a charity
supporting students. The Canada Student
Service Grant program is about giving
young people opportunities to contribute
a contract employee and Clare has spoken
at three events. Morneau also went on two
WE trips with family in 2017; one trip was
to Kenya and the other to Ecuador. The
travel costs amounted to $41,366—a total
that he quickly reimbursed to WE when
the story broke. “I did not know that those
expenses were not paid. I did not have any
awareness of that. It was a mistake and I
take responsibility for it.”
Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre
didn’t accept the finance minister's apology.
“The average Canadian living in Red Deer
been contacted by WE
about making use of their
contacts for a fee. A main concern for
Speevak was the slippery slope of stipends
for volunteers, calling out the program's
structure that essentially works out to $10/
hour: “We felt it was really important that
you dont give the impression that you're
paid for volunteering. We don’t want
people to be paid less than minimum wage
and for it to be called volunteering. We
wanted there to be clarity—volunteers give
their time freely because of their passion or
compassion.”