To the editor,
We are just witnessing a political manoeuvre more intriguing than any soap opera. I have to thank Jody Wilson-Raybould for refusing to change the rule of law. She only had a few people suggesting she could circumvent the charge on SNC-Lavalin; Trudeau’s brilliant lawyer almost made it look clean.
It looked a bit Trumpy to me. Trudeau is learning from south of the border; he has to get rid of her. He didn’t fire her, but he got her out of the way. I believe the PM will try to discredit Wilson-Raybould by suggesting what she should’ve or could’ve said about being pressured. But she couldn’t prove pressure – it was always just suggestions.
It’s amusing how politics can work, especially if there is an election coming up. Let’s see how Trudeau can whitewash this problem.
Robert Armstrong, Nanaimo
RELATED: Liberals must let Wilson-Raybould come back to committee, opposition says
RELATED: Scheer urges Trudeau to let Wilson-Raybould speak further on SNC-Lavalin affair
To the editor,
If you have been listening at all to Justin Trudeau’s talk either in the House of Commons or to the media you know he talks a lot about “the rule of law” as though he actually believes in it. When Canada found itself in the uncomfortable position of having to arrest and detain Meng Wanzhou, a Chinese national and executive with Huawei Technologies, the reason given by Trudeau to China, and correctly so, was the rule of law. He had no choice but to to accommodate the lawful request by the U.S. for her extradition on fraud charges relating to violating sanctions on Iran.
In light of the SNC-Lavalin scandal Canadians are now wanting an answer from the prime minister as to how meddling in our justice system is consistent with application of the rule of law. A recent story, categorically denied by Trudeau, that the PMO pressured then attorney-general and justice minister Jody Wilson-Raybould to go easy on SNC-Lavalin is not only causing laughter in Beijing but around the world. People in Trudeau’s government allegedly pressured Wilson-Raybould to direct the public prosecutor to a favourable ruling for SNC-Lavalin.
In her statement, Wilson-Raybould repeatedly cited her independence and the importance of the rule of law: “The role of the attorney general of Canada carries with it unique responsibilities to uphold the rule of law and the administration of justice” and that such independence is a pillar of our democracy. The allegations against the PMO are alarming, appalling, possibly criminal and politically devastating. Canadians rightfully are seeking and demanding the truth before the federal election in seven months.
Gerald Hall, Nanoose Bay
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: ‘Hey Jody, don’t make it bad,’ Liberals urge
The views and opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the writer and do not reflect the views of Black Press or the Nanaimo News Bulletin. If you have a different view, we encourage you to write to us or contribute to the discussion below.