Time running out to consult on new watchdogs
PM, opposition leaders need to discuss soon
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has not consulted opposition leaders on the selection of new commissioners for ethics and lobbying, despite being under investigation by both offices for alleged ethical violations.
Trudeau is legally required to consult the opposition leaders on the appointment of both watchdogs. While he could still do so, there’s not much time left.
Lobbying commissioner Karen Shepherd’s last day is June 30, and ethics commissioner Mary Dawson’s term expires July 8.
Both the Conservatives and the NDP say Trudeau should have spoken to them already.
“This is a huge problem,” said NDP ethics critic Nathan Cullen. “This is every ethics scandal, every lobbying scandal to come, and Trudeau has shown himself to be ethically challenged when it comes to wealthy and well-connected friends.”
The ethics commissioner is currently investigating Trudeau regarding his travel to the private island of billionaire Ismaili Muslim leader the Aga Khan.
The lobbying commissioner is conducting multiple investigations involving Trudeau’s attendance at fundraisers hosted by wealthy people whose companies are registered to lobby the prime minister.
Duff Conacher, co-founder of the non-partisan watchdog group Democracy Watch, said Trudeau should have consulted the opposition parties by now.
“They only have at most three weeks left in the House,” said Conacher. “If they haven’t even talked with the opposition party leaders yet, it’s hard to see how they can possibly fulfil their obligations to properly consult.”
Trudeau is already under fire for appointing former Ontario Liberal cabinet minister Madeleine Meilleur to a role that is supposed to be non-partisan. In May, Trudeau selected Meilleur, who donated to his leadership campaign, to be the official languages commissioner.
The opposition parties have called on Trudeau to cancel Meilleur’s appointment, in part because they say they were not properly consulted. A May 8 letter obtained by Postmedia from Trudeau to the former Conservative leader Rona Ambrose shows the extent of the consultation.
The three-paragraph letter states that Trudeau is writing regarding the legal requirement for consultation and then says:
“Following an open, transparent and merit-based selection process, I am nominating Madeleine Meilleur as the next Commissioner of Official Languages for a term of seven years. Her curriculum vitae is attached.”
The letter does not provide any additional information on how Meilleur was selected or directly ask Ambrose for her thoughts on Meilleur as a candidate. In the letter, Trudeau asks for a reply within four days: by May 12. On May 15, Trudeau publicly announced Meilleur as his pick for the job.
The Prime Minister’s Office directed questions to the Privy Council Office. Privy Council Office spokesman Paul Duchesne did not directly answer Postmedia’s questions regarding whether the consultation process is changing in light of opposition concerns over Meilleur’s selection, or when the consultation would actually take place.
“Consultations are conducted once the selection process is completed and a qualified candidate has been identified for nomination,” said Duchesne.
Conservative deputy ethics critic John Brassard said the selection of a former Liberal cabinet minister raises serious questions about future appointments that are supposed to be non-partisan.
“The fact that the ethics commissioner’s tenure ends on July 8, and there hasn’t been any consultation at all is worrisome,” said Brassard. “Do they already have someone in mind? Is it another Liberal?”
Trudeau has tried to distance himself from the appointment of the ethics commissioner by recusing himself from the appointment process and placing government house leader Bardish Chagger in charge.
He has not recused himself from the appointment of a new lobbying commissioner. Brassard said the lack of consultation is casting a shadow on the appointment process.
“This is Liberal patronage cronyism at its best. They’ve gone back to the way they were under the Chretien government.”
Cullen argued that the lack of consultation for the new commissioners raises questions about whether they’ll be non-partisan.
“If you look at one of the main checks on a prime minister’s power — it comes from these watchdogs. Trudeau must see that as a threat and so he wants only people that he can rely on.”
IT’S HARD TO SEE HOW THEY CAN POSSIBLY FULFIL THEIR OBLIGATIONS TO PROPERLY CONSULT.