Trudeau on slippery slope

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been doing some fancy skating on thin ice. His lapses in ethical rigour and lame explanations are providing ammunition for the opposition, inviting the scrutiny of parliamentary watchdogs and disappointing the public.

Revelations have been mounting about cabinet ministers and the prime minister himself headlining $1,500-ahead fundraisers in the private homes of wealthy Canadians, attended by influential businesspeople.

Events that offer face time with politicians in exchange for donations to party coffers are an ethical minefield. Government business is not supposed to be discussed, but who’s going to prevent it? These events sell exclusive access to officeholders at a price only the rich can afford. And they send an unfortunate message that the ears of decision-makers can be bent in chats in informal settings outside of regular business hours.

The prime minister has tried to defend the indefensible. He initially claimed the fundraisers were open to any Canadian, even though most would consider the cost prohibitive. Then he contradicted assurances by Liberal party officials that no government business is discussed at these cocktails by admitting he gets lobbied (but not swayed) all the time. Now he’ll have the public believe that when he rubs shoulders with tycoons, he uses it as an opportunity to champion the plight of the middle class.

Trudeau should start living up to the lofty standards he touted when he took office, and enshrine them in law. Canadians expect no less. Montreal Gazette