The recording reveals more than the transcript. Trudeau uncovered.

Micheal Wernick

The recording of the famous phone call, reveals more than the transcript.  

SNC Lavalin had lobbied the federal government for a long time from the position of an insider, and ultimately got the law changed to escape what they were facing in Court. They wanted a Deferred Prosecution Agreement.  For the government to create this new measure in response to lobbing, shows that the fix was in.   The Liberals changed the law to favour a political friend.

  

Many have read in the media, just how unethical Lavalin has been in many cases down through the years.  Journalists have outlined how they have cheated and bribed their way though the marketplace for unfair advantage over and over again.   It was just their way of doing business.

So, favoured Lavalin got the law changed.  The Liberals then tried to run the scheme through the system, but the bureaucracy didn’t allow it to happen, as Lavalin did not legally qualify.   So then, Trudeau pressured the Attorney General to overrule the non-political bureaucracy.  But AG Jody Wilson Raybould affirmed that Lavalin did not meet the criteria for a Deferred Prosecution Agreement.   She was then pressured by many from the PMO, to use her special power, to overrule and impose a political decision into the Justice System to yield what they wanted.  That is what Communist China does…not Canada.  

I feel sympathy for Michael Wernick, Clerk of the Privy Council.  He was put in an untenable position.  Over time, the relationship between the PMO and him became inappropriate.  He should never have acted as political staff to pressure the AG, by becoming an active participant of the PMO.  His sighs, hums and haws in the recording of the phone call, reveal much about how he knew he was skating on thin ice.  The Prime Minister should never have abused the neutral public service in such a manner.  However, Wernick also allowed himself to gradually be overly engaged in partisan political matters.  He became just one in the line up of 'heavy messengers' to the Attorney General.   

Observing it all, it sounds like the Prime Minister didn’t have the wherewithal to deal with matters himself.  One comes away with the impression, that Gerry Butts, the Clerk Michael Wernick and others in the PMO were the ones really running the government, and not the Prime Minister.  I think the PMO’s relationship with Wernick was wrong, and Wernick was wrong to take up the PMO’s bidding in this way.  It’s sad for Canada, that such an ethical line was breached, between the PMO and the Public Service.   

We understand that SNC Lavalin has been a bad actor for a long time; it’s a matter of public record.  They did not meet the legal criteria for what they lobbied for, a DPA.  Then Trudeau tried to bully and politically deliver what was illegal, and he did it in a manner that was very unethical.  Finally, when he did not get his way, he demoted AG Jody Wilson-Raybould.