Canada Letter: Who’s Investigating Justin Trudeau — and What Do They Hope to Find?

The Times’s recent Canada-related coverage with back stories and analysis from our reporters along with opinions from our readers. View in [Browser]( | Add nytdirect@nytimes.com to your address book. [The New York Times]( [The New York Times]( Saturday, March 2, 2019 [NYTimes.com/Canada »]( [Who’s Investigating Justin Trudeau — and What Do They Hope to Find?]( By IAN AUSTEN In Canada, the House of Commons’ justice committee generally goes about its work in earnest obscurity. Jody Wilson-Raybould, a former cabinet minister, dramatically changed that with her appearance on Wednesday, which stretched on for almost four hours. [Jody Wilson-Raybould after testifying before the House of Commons’ justice committee on Wednesday.] Jody Wilson-Raybould after testifying before the House of Commons’ justice committee on Wednesday. Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press, via Associated Press [Want the Canada Letter in your inbox every week? [Sign up here]( Ms. Wilson-Raybould accused Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, his aides and others of applying improper pressure and making “veiled threats” to get her to reach a settlement in a criminal corruption case [involving SNC-Lavalin,]( the major construction and engineering company in Montreal. We did, of course, keep a watch on her testimony, its immediate aftermath and the possible consequences for Mr. Trudeau: [Read: [Trudeau Promised a Fresh Approach to Politics. Now He’s Embroiled in Scandal]( [Read: [Trudeau’s Political Woes Mount With Demands for More Inquiries]( [Read: [Trudeau’s Ex-Attorney General: ‘Veiled Threats’ Were Made to Drop Case]( It’s risky to predict how this will all play out, both in the short term and for October’s federal election. That’s in part because those outcomes will likely be affected by a series of investigations, both active and proposed, into the actions of the prime minister and his aides. Here’s a look at who’s seeking answers, what they could uncover, and who else might still take a peek: What’s Already Underway • Parliamentary hearings: The House of Commons’ [Standing Committee on Justice]( is where Ms. Wilson-Raybould finally broke her silence this week. It’s also where other key players are set to appear, notably Gerald Butts, Mr. Trudeau’s friend who stepped down last month as his top political adviser amid the scandal. But the justice committee isn’t set up to run a full-scale investigation. It has neither a team of people digging up evidence, nor the power to order up internal government documents. And, as the opposition has repeatedly pointed out this week, the Liberals control the committee. This makes it unlikely that anything the panel does will inflict much harm on Mr. Trudeau. [Happier times: Ms. Wilson-Raybould and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2015.] Happier times: Ms. Wilson-Raybould and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2015. Adrian Wyld/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images • An ethics investigation: After a request from two New Democratic Party lawmakers, the [conflict of interest and ethics commissioner]( Mario Dion, is also on the case. But by law, he can only look for possible conflicts of interest. Simply applying pressure for political advantage doesn’t amount to such a conflict, earlier commissioners have ruled. Past investigations by the ethics commissioner’s office have dragged on for more than a year, and the office has no power to order serious sanctions. What May Come Next • A criminal investigation: The Conservative leader Andrew Scheer and others have asked the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to look into possible obstruction of justice. The police force, citing standard policy, will not confirm whether it’s started an investigation or plans to do so. And there’s a good chance that we’ll never know whether the Mounties made Mr. Trudeau the target of an investigation. The reason goes back to 2005, when the force [sent a fax]( to a New Democratic member of Parliament confirming that it was investigating then-Finance Minister Ralph Goodale in connection with illegal stock trading. Arriving in the midst of a federal election campaign, the fax exploded like a bomb. Mr. Goodale was cleared; a public servant in the finance department later pleaded guilty to insider trading charges. An investigation later found no fault with the police force, but the Mounties were widely criticized as having meddled in politics. They have been more circumspect about politically sensitive investigations since then. Today, as Mr. Trudeau’s public safety minister, Mr. Goodale oversees the Mounties. [Ms. Wilson-Raybould at a Liberal caucus meeting last month, after resigning as veterans affairs minister.] Ms. Wilson-Raybould at a Liberal caucus meeting last month, after resigning as veterans affairs minister. Chris Wattie/Reuters •An independent public inquiry: Jagmeet Singh, the leader of the New Democrats, was the first to push for an independent special commission to look into the affair, and the idea has support from other opposition parties. Mr. Trudeau has taken the position that the Justice Committee hearings and the conflict of interest investigation are all that’s needed. An inquiry is the least appealing option for the Liberals, who remember all too well the [Gomery Commission](. Then-Prime Minister Paul Martin meant for it to clear the air around the Liberals after a corruption scandal involving the previous Liberal government. But it backfired. Evidence presented at the inquiry only highlighted the corruption, and Mr. Martin’s loss in the 2006 election was widely attributed to the hearings. Any inquiry into the current scandal is unlikely to be finished before October’s vote. But the hearings would certainly provide the kind of publicity the Liberals don’t want leading up to, and during, an election campaign. — This week’s Trans Canada and Around The Times highlights were compiled by Lindsey Wiebe, the Canada audience growth editor. ADVERTISEMENT Trans Canada [As Huawei’s Influence in Canada Grows, Some Fear Spying. Others Just Want Fast Internet.]( Hockey Night with Huawei? From sponsoring Canada’s weekly hockey ritual to financing 5G research, Dan Bilefsky found that the Chinese company’s growing presence in Canada is raising concerns about cybersecurity. [Canada Proceeds With Extradition Hearing for Huawei Executive]( The extradition hearing for Meng Wanzhou, the Huawei chief financial officer wanted on fraud charges in the United States, will get underway next week in Vancouver. It promises to be lengthy. [F.D.A. Says Canadian Company, CanaRx, Sells Unsafe Medicines to U.S. Buyers]( A Canadian drug distributor stands accused of selling unapproved and mislabeled medicines to unsuspecting Americans. [New on Netflix Canada: The Best Movies and TV Shows for March 2019]( A new month means a new crop of Netflix offerings in Canada. Our March list includes the Oscar-sweeping (but not quite Best Picture-winning) musical “La La Land” and Armando Iannucci’s political satire “The Death of Stalin.” [Martha Stewart Will Advise Cannabis Grower on Products for Humans and Pets]( Doyenne of domesticity Martha Stewart is teaming up with Ontario-based Canopy Growth Corporation for a new line of CBD products, including some for pets. [The Creator of ‘Bao’ on That Twist: ‘Part of Me Wanted to Shock Audiences’]( The Canadian director Domee Shi’s short film “Bao” is now an Oscar winner. She spoke to The Times last year about the film’s origins, and that surprising twist. Around The Times [The Mush in the Iditarod May Soon Be Melted Snow]( Climate change is causing route changes and cancellations in dog-sled races in Canada and Alaska, and the future of the famed Iditarod looks increasingly uncertain. [Where the World’s Chefs Want to Eat]( Yardbird is one Hong Kong’s most popular and influential restaurants, even eight years after opening. The two Albertans behind it are now planning an expansion. Mind [When the Bully Is the Boss]( The belief that tough bosses get results — and fast — is widespread. But researchers say there’s no evidence to support it. [Inside the Rise and Fall of a Multimillion-Dollar Airbnb Scheme]( Fake names, 18 corporations and more than 100 Airbnb host accounts were created to run an illegal Airbnb empire in Manhattan, according to a lawsuit. Here’s how the scheme worked. HOW ARE WE DOING? We’re eager to have your thoughts about this newsletter and events in Canada in general. Please send them to [nytcanada@nytimes.com](mailto:nytcanada@nytimes.com? subject=Canada%20Letter%20Newsletter%20Feedback). LIKE THIS EMAIL? Forward it to your friends, and let them know they can sign up [here](. NEED HELP? Review our [newsletter help page]( or [contact us]( for assistance. Advertisement FOLLOW NYTIMES [Facebook] [FACEBOOK]( [Twitter] [@nytimes]( Get more [NYTimes.com newsletters »]( | Get unlimited access to NYTimes.com and our NYTimes apps. [Subscribe »]( ABOUT THIS EMAIL You received this message because you signed up for NYTimes.com's Canada Letter newsletter. [Unsubscribe]( | [Manage Subscriptions]( | [Change Your Email]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Contact]( | [Advertise]( Copyright 2019 The New York Times Company 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018