Prime minister was criticized as ‘aloof ass’ for telling woman who interrupted him: ‘Thank you very much for your donation’
Justin Trudeau has apologized for a sarcastic response to indigenous activists protesting against the contamination of drinking water, admitting on Thursday that he handled the situation poorly.
Related: 'He's not a bad person, but …' scandal-hit Justin Trudeau turns voters off
Continue reading...Jane Philpott, who resigned in protest earlier this month, hints at more pain for embattled PM and says Canadians deserve the truth
A Canadian cabinet minister who had quit in protest over the government’s handling of a corruption scandal said she and others had more to say about the matter, indicating more pain to come for the embattled prime minister, Justin Trudeau.
Trudeau has been on the defensive since February over allegations top officials working for him leaned on the former justice minister Jody Wilson-Raybould to ensure the construction firm SNC-Lavalin avoided a corruption trial.
Continue reading...Michael Wernick to resign as clerk of the privy council as Trudeau battles allegations he and his aides pressured ex-attorney general
Canada’s top civil servant – a central figure in the political crisis that continues to damage the prime minister, Justin Trudeau – has resigned from his post, following allegations of political bias from parliamentarians.
Related: Trudeau scandal: PM's party blocks ex-attorney general from testifying again
Continue reading...Liberal member called for vote in meeting to determine if Jody Wilson-Raybould should testify again amid disapproval
Justin Trudeau’s Liberal party has come under fire for preventing the former attorney general from testifying again to parliament, further intensifying a political crisis that has engulfed the Canadian prime minister and his government.
The Liberal-dominated justice committee convened an emergency meeting on Wednesday to determine if they should hear further testimony from Jody Wilson-Raybould over allegations that senior officials tried to interfere with the prosecution of an engineering firm accused of bribery.
Continue reading...Canadian PM responds to SNC-Lavalin saga for first time, saying no laws have been broken
Justin Trudeau has expressed regret for his handling of a political scandal that has cost him two cabinet ministers and a close adviser – but stopped short of apologising and insisted no laws had been broken and that no unethical actions were taken by him or his staff.
“This has been a tough few weeks,” the Canadian prime minister said. “Canadians expect and deserve to have faith in their institutions and the people who act within them … I have taken – and will continue to take – many lessons from these recent days and few weeks.”
Continue reading...Jane Philpott, the treasury secretary, announced her resignation days after Jody Wilson-Raybould testified officials pressured her
A second minister has resigned from Justin Trudeau’s cabinet amid a deepening political scandal which is already threatening the prime minister’s prospects in this year’s federal election.
Related: China accuses detained Canadian of stealing state secrets
Continue reading...Canada's prime minister is facing calls to resign over the biggest political scandal of his administration. It centres on claims by his former attorney general Jody-Wilson Raybould that Trudeau's advisers improperly pressured her to prevent the prosecution of the engineering firm SNC-Lavalin over paying alleged bribes in Libya
Continue reading...Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau has rejected calls to resign over a scandal that is engulfing his administration, saying he and his staff always acted properly and that Canadians will get to have their say on the matter at the federal election in October.
His comments came after Canada’s former minister of justice and attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould described a consistent, sustained and inappropriate effort by senior officials close to the prime minister who were attempting to dissuade her from prosecuting a Canadian engineering company accused of bribery.
Continue reading...Jody Wilson-Raybould, Canada’s first indigenous attorney general, will testify over claims Trudeau aides pressured her to let a firm escape prosecution
In recent weeks, an archival clip from a 1983 constitutional conference on indigenous rights has circulated widely in Canada. The footage shows the Kwakwaka’wakw lawyer Bill Wilson sitting across from the then prime minister, Pierre Trudeau – the father of the country’s current leader.
Wilson tells Trudeau that both of his daughters want to become lawyers – and even prime minister. The audience – and Trudeau – laugh.
Continue reading...Exit by Gerald Butts comes days after veterans affairs minister resigned from Cabinet
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s top adviser has resigned while denying allegations that he pressured Canada’s former attorney general to avoid prosecuting a major Canadian engineering company.
Principal secretary Gerald Butts has been Trudeau’s closest adviser and best friend since university, and his resignation over the widening scandal was a significant blow to the prime minister, who is facing an election this year.
Continue reading...John McCallum had said Meng Wanzhou could make a strong argument against being sent to the US
In an unprecedented move, Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau on Saturday said he had fired his ambassador to China, who had prompted a political furor with comments about Huawei’s high-profile extradition case.
Related: 'I misspoke': Canada ambassador to China regrets saying Huawei chief had 'strong case'
Continue reading...Open letter says the arrests mean diplomats are more cautious about work in China
More than 140 former diplomats and leading China experts have called on Xi Jinping to release two Canadian citizens detained last month as a diplomatic stand-off between Ottawa and Beijing escalates.
In an open letter Chinese president, former envoys to China from Canada, the UK, the US, Australia, Germany, Sweden and Mexico described how the arrests of Michael Kovrig, a Canadian diplomat on leave, and Michael Spavor, a businessman, have sent a chill through the diplomatic community.
Continue reading...Prime minister should ‘respect the rule of law’, a spokeswoman said after Trudeau criticised a Canadian man’s death sentence
China has expressed “strong dissatisfaction” with Justin Trudeau after he criticised the death sentence passed on a Canadian man convicted of drug trafficking, as the two countries continued to spar over detained citizens.
The Canadian prime minister should “respect the rule of law, respect China’s judicial sovereignty, correct mistakes and stop making irresponsible remarks”, foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Tuesday.
Continue reading...Wedding singer Abdul Salam Maftoon was called the Canadian prime minister’s ‘lost twin’ after appearing on Afghan Star
An Afghan talent show contestant’s striking resemblance to Justin Trudeau has turned him into an unlikely celebrity in the war-torn country.
Abdul Salam Maftoon, a wedding singer from a village in the remote and impoverished northeastern province of Badakhshan, had never even heard of his more famous doppelganger until a judge on the popular television music contest Afghan Star pointed out the uncanny likeness.
Continue reading...Saudi teen was granted asylum by Canada after flying to Thailand to escape her family
The Saudi woman who barricaded herself in a Thai hotel room in a desperate attempt to flee abuse landed in Canada on Saturday, capping a tumultuous and uncertain journey towards safety.
Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun arrived in Toronto, the country’s largest city. As she entered the airport’s arrivals area, she was accompanied by Canada’s minister of foreign affairs, Chrystia Freeland, who has been a vocal critic of Saudi Arabia’s jailing of female dissidents.
Continue reading...Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, 18, fled to Thailand last week accusing her family of abuse
An 18-year-old Saudi woman who said she was abused by her family and feared for her life if deported back home has left Thailand for Canada, which has granted her asylum, officials said.
The fast-moving developments capped an eventful week for Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun. She fled her family while visiting Kuwait and flew to Bangkok, where she barricaded herself in an airport hotel to avoid deportation and grabbed global attention by mounting a social media campaign for asylum.
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