Well, the Prime Minister feels that no other organization other than WE CHARITY (which his wife Sophie is an ambassador for and supports) was capable of looking after the Canada Student Service Grant
“The WE organization is the only organization in Canada that has the scale and the ability to deliver volunteer opportunities for young people right across the country at all levels of organizations.” (CBC, 26 June 2020)
Maybe he is right but do we or should we believe him without knowing all of the facts. The answer is NO!
The talk point Trudeau is using they are the “only organization” is the standard talk point all governments regardless of party, use when sole sourcing a contract, often to a friendly corporation.
Other than the PM’s word there is no proof that what he is saying is true. It is time for the media (investigative reporters) to earn their salaries and opposition research staff to start digging for that proof or lack of it.
- ALWAYS follow the money. In this case the timeline. When was the decision made?
- Make a list of other organizations that you think might have been able to do the job and ask them if they could deliver the program- for instance the YMCA-YWCA which has locations across the country. Ask them if they were even contacted by bureaucrats or PMO to see if they could do the job.
- ATIP the hell out of the government
- Ask for all the briefing notes- if they say it is a cabinet confidence, ask for the draft briefing notes.
- Ask for all emails between everyone PCO, PMO, Minister’s office (political staff) and bureaucrats and don’t forget to include any sticky notes attached to files. Emails from one bureaucrat at the desk level send up the line to superiors often reveals far more than governments want you to know. Most briefing notes require multiple sign offs as no single bureaucrat will stick his/her neck out on this type of file. They like group consensus to cover everyone off.
- Ask for copies of all text messages- yes they are often saved on a government server.
- Ask for details of the contract with WE. The standard response is… it is protected information because it involves a private entity- at that point go after WE to release the details. If what the PM is saying is legit, they have nothing to hide.
- Call for an emergency meeting of the House Committee looking after this file- maybe Public Accounts chaired by the Conservatives Dean Allison is a good place to start. In previous years the Conservatives used that committee very successfully to uncover such things as the Sponsorship scandal and the transitional jobs funding scandal of the 1990s under Liberal minister Jane Stewart
- Put bureaucrats under oath when they testify and let the fun begin.
- Call WE before the committee as well. Use your subpoena power if necessary
This is what opposition parties live for… time to start digging folks- the truth always comes out.
