I am writing this letter in response to the article and editorial regarding the SNC-Lavalin affair in the March 7 edition of the Beaver. Many Canadians have taken the testimony of Jody Wilson-Raybould at face value. However, after having watched the testimony of her and others before the justice committee, I have some serious questions about her version of the story.
Wilson-Raybould has stated that, over a period of four months, she was pressured by the PMO and a number of colleagues to influence the courts with regards to the SNC-Lavalin file. I found myself wondering how it was that she allowed herself to be pressured for that length of time. Although she claims to have told Trudeau that she had come to a final decision, there is no documentation of her having done so, nor is there any record of her having informed colleagues in writing that she wished them to stop discussing the issue with her. I am puzzled by the thought that a highly qualified lawyer was either unable to assert herself in what she describes as a difficult and potentially unethical situation, or failed to recognize the importance of doing so in writing. Why did she never send a written communication to colleagues requesting that they cease and desist from discussing the issue further? Why did she continue to take meetings and phone calls with them, and, in some cases, actively seek them out herself, if she knew they were going to continue to pressure her? Surely there were avenues of complaint of which she, as an intelligent, well educated professional, would have been aware.
Another important question is why Wilson-Raybould did not make the effort to resolve this issue internally during that four month period, but waited until the story was leaked to the Globe and Mail. The result of her inaction is that the story has inflicted the maximum amount of damage to her party and its leader months before an election, which leads me to question her motives in finally speaking out. I also wonder who it was who violated cabinet confidentiality in order to leak the story to the press.
In short, the SNC-Lavalin scandal has not changed my view of the Liberal government. I voted for them in the last election and approve of the direction in which they have taken our country. I also appreciate the results of the hard work Mike Bossio has done for our riding. I will be voting for him again in October.
Penny Robertson