Trudeau’s big mess

Sometimes, you make your own mess. Sometimes, you then step in that mess.

And sometimes, for inexplicable reasons, you lie down and roll around in it as well.

That’s exactly where Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is right now.

On Wednesday, federal Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion ruled Trudeau had violated the federal conflict of interest act by pressuring then-attorney-general Jody Wilson-Raybould to overrule one of her senior prosecutors.

The prosecutor had decided that Canadian engineering giant SNC-Lavalin, which had been charged with bribing foreign officials, would not be able to avail of a new framework for handling such cases. The new process, known as a deferred prosecution agreement, would have seen the charges against SNC stayed, if SNC could show it had cleaned up its act and satisfied other requirements, including fines.

Staying the charges would mean SNC would be able to continue seeking federal work; a conviction would mean a 10-year ban. But the prosecutor felt SNC didn’t fit the bill for getting a deferred prosecution agreement, also known as a remediation agreement.

Wilson-Raybould wouldn’t play ball, despite increasing pressure from the prime minister’s officials. First she lost her cabinet position, then her place in the Liberal caucus.

Throughout the process, Trudeau argued he hadn’t brought unreasonable pressure to bear on WilsonRaybould.

Ethics Commissioner Dion disagreed, writing “I found that Mr. Trudeau used his position of authority over Ms. Wilson Raybould to seek to influence, both directly and indirectly, her decision on whether she should overrule the director of public prosecutions’ decision not to invite SNC-Lavalin to enter into negotiations towards a remediation agreement.”

Dion also noted that his investigation was hampered because the Privy Council Office refused to release documents related to the case, and nine witnesses told him they had information they could not reveal because of cabinet secrecy oaths.

And the excuses and prevarication continue. Trudeau said Wednesday that “The buck stops with the Prime Minister” — but also that he “can’t apologize for standing up for Canadian jobs.”

Speaking to reporters, Trudeau also said, “I assume responsibility for everything that happened in my office. This is important because I truly feel that what happened over the past year shouldn’t have happened.”

The problem is, it did happen — and Trudeau, who started meeting with SNC-Lavalin about its concerns way back in 2016, made this mess, stepped in it, and is still rolling around in it.

The ethics commissioner’s decision doesn’t go any farther; there are no set penalties for violating the conflict of interest act, beyond the public response to the decision.

But with an election mere months away, there’s a very real possibility of direct consequences.

There’s an old saying that, when you’re in a hole, stop digging.

And, maybe, when you’re lying in your own mess, stop rolling.