It looks like even members of their own camp were worried about the ethics of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau..Martin Francoeur, a Liberal candidate running in Trois-Rivière, Que. — a riding the Liberals haven’t nabbed since 1984 — recently called out Justin Trudeau for his lack of ethical judgment over some of his most recent practices, including the WE Charity scandal..Blacklock’s Reporter said on July 15, 2020 Francoeur wrote in Le Nouvelliste, a local Quebec newspaper Francoeur happens to be the former editor of, asking readers to “look at the connection between WE Charity and Justin Trudeau’s family.”.Francoeur said in the editorial “blame directed at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau seems to slip like water off a duck’s back, however the story of WE Charity is extremely worrying..“The Conservative Party’s finance critic Pierre Poilievre is right, it is an extremely serious issue.”.The Liberal Party did not comment on Francoeur’s accusation. There was also no mention of the editorial when Francoeur campaigned with Trudeau yesterday..In 2020, Trudeau approved a $43.5 million grant to the WE Charity, but did not disclose the fact that the group paid Trudeau’s wife, mother, and brother almost half a million dollars — $481,751 — in talent fees, gifts, and expense-paid trips to America and Europe..After this disclosure, Bill Morneau — former finance minister — resigned abruptly on August 17, 2020. Morneau failed to disclose WE Charity hired his daughter straight out of college and hosted his family in Kenya and Ecuador to the tune of $41,366..Francoeur wrote cabinet apologies did little to “detract from the seriousness of their favouritism and interference by the Prime Minister in awarding a contract to an organization that favoured his own family.”.The problem with Justin Trudeau according to Francoeur lies in “his breaches of ethics and annoying tendency to place himself in a situation of conflict of interest seem most often associated with a kind of carelessness or even lack of judgement, which makes this even more astounding.”.In a Trudeau III report last May 13, the Ethics Commissioner cleared Trudeau of any breach of the Conflict of Interest Act. Even though evidence suggested “a strong appearance of conflict,” Trudeau’s actions didn’t technically meet definitions of wrongdoing..Duff Conacher, co-founder of the advocacy group Democracy Watch said the group would challenge the clear ruling in Federal Court..“It’s a horrible precedent, if this is allowed, what is not allowed?”.Conacher said “it tells every cabinet minister, just tell your staff to do things you are not able to do legally. It is a terrible precedent. Any public office holder could now construct a scheme to benefit their friends or family members and get away with it.”.Conservative MP Michael Barrett spoke on Francoeur’s editorial saying “Justin Trudeau is too corrupt for even his own candidates.”.Jackie Conroy is a reporter for the Western Standard.jconroy@westernstandardonline.com
