In a Commons Public Accounts committee meeting, MPs decided to hold hearings about the Trudeau Foundation. MPs also voted 10-0 to have the Canada Revenue Agency review the fund.. Canada Revenue Agency .“It is a Foundation supported by public funds,” said New Democrat MP Blake Desjarlais (Edmonton Griesbach, AB). .Desjarlais sponsored the motion that “the committee call on the Canada Revenue Agency to investigate the Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation and that the committee believes it is in the public interest to prioritize this investigation.”.“It is in the public interest to see an investigation into its finances, donations and, in particular, any possible misdealing the organization may have,” said Desjarlais. Parliament in 2002 financed the Foundation with a $125 million endowment..“It’s not a regular charity,” said Conservative MP Garnett Genuis (Sherwood Park-Fort Saskatchewan, AB). .“It’s a public institution in statute that has received massive injections of taxpayers’ money.”.The Foundation’s CEO and board of directors abruptly resigned on April 11 following disclosures that they ignored warnings from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service over accepting large cash contributions from Chinese donors..“As soon as Prime Minister Trudeau took office, the Foundation that bears his name started receiving substantial amounts of new money in foreign donations,” said Genuis..“The prime minister has repeatedly told the House he had no connection, no involvement with the Foundation in the last 10 years despite the fact he is listed as a member of the Foundation in their latest Annual Report,” said Genuis..“This poppycock about a firm wall between the Prime Minister’s Office and the Trudeau Foundation is, needless to say, hard to take.”.The Public Accounts committee unanimously adopted a separate motion sponsored by Genuis that it conduct hearings “into the situation at the Trudeau Foundation and report its findings to the House.” .According to Blacklock’s Reporter, Liberal MPs supported the motion on the condition that neither the prime minister nor his family members be summoned for questioning..The prime minister has denied any involvement in the Foundation’s work..“Those people who are trying to get short-term political gain by increasing polarization and partisanship in this country by launching completely unfounded and ungrounded attacks against charities or foundations must not succeed,” Trudeau told reporters on April 11..“It is a shame to see the level of toxicity and political polarization that is going on in our country these days. But I am certain the Trudeau Foundation will be able to continue.”.Bloc Québécois MPs had sought an investigation of the Foundation by the Auditor General..“The Auditor General is not convinced a review by her office is appropriate,” said Conservative MP John Williamson (New Brunswick Southwest, NB), chair of the Public Accounts committee..Williamson cited correspondence from Auditor Karen Hogan.
