Trudeau rejects call for him to resign over scandal

CABINET ministers rallied around Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau yesterday, a day after his former attorney general testified that Mr Trudeau had inappropriately tried to pressure her to avoid prosecution of a major Canadian engineering company in order to save jobs – a case that has shaken the government in an election year.

Popular Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said that “the prime minister would never apply improper pressure” and expressed “100pc faith” in him.

Finance Minister Bill Morneau denied meddling, saying it was “entirely appropriate” for his staff to talk with the justice minister’s staff about the economic effects of their decisions.

Ex-attorney general and Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould testified that Mr Trudeau, his staff and other officials imposed inappropriate pressure on her to avoid criminal prosecution of Montreal-based SNC-Lavalin in a case involving allegations of corruption in Libya.

She said they pushed for an agreement that would let the company pay reparations but avoid a conviction.

If convicted criminally, the company would be banned from receiving any federal government business for a decade. SNC-Lavalin is a major employer in Quebec, with about 3,400 employees in the province, 9,000 employees in Canada and more than 50,000 worldwide.

Mr Trudeau, who rejected an opposition call for his resignation, has acknowledged raising the issue with Ms Wilson-Raybould, but said that was appropriate.

“Canadians expect their government to look for ways to protect jobs,” Mr Trudeau said. “That’s exactly what we have done every step of the way.”