Letter to the Prime Minister from Justin Trudeau

August 16, 2015

Prime Minister,

Evidence presented at the Mike Duffy trial demonstrates there was an attempt by members of your staff to cover-up Mr. Duffy’s expenses and then provide a false version of events to Parliament and to Canadians.

Your staff tried to end an independent audit by Deloitte, they manipulated a Senate report, and they crafted talking points about these events that were simply not true – including the details of Nigel Wright’s $90,000 cheque to Mike Duffy. The e-mails demonstrate that senior members of your current campaign team, including Marjory LeBreton, Irving Gerstein, and Ray Novak, were a part of these activities.

This evidence is raising extremely serious questions about your judgement and your public statements to this point.

1. You stated during the first leaders’ debate of this election campaign: “When bad actions arise, the role of the leader is to take responsibility and hold people accountable.” If you stand by that statement, and if you have any respect left for the office that you are privileged to currently hold – why have you not already fired the members of your team who were involved in these activities?

2. You stood in the House of Commons and said Nigel Wright’s decision to write a $90,000 cheque was “not communicated to me or to members of my office.” Yet evidence at court shows that Nigel Wright e-mailed the PMO’s lawyer, Benjamin Perrin, and your current Chief of Staff, Ray Novak, indicating he was sending a personal cheque. As this evidence was made public in recent days, you now say that the “vast majority” of your staff was unaware of Nigel Wright’s cheque. Who specifically was aware? Were you aware that your first statement was false when you made it?

3. With respect to the $90,000 cheque, in 2013, you said: “On Wednesday, May 15, I was told about it.” The next day your office released a statement saying Nigel Wright “has the confidence of the Prime Minister” and “he will not resign.” Months later you then said “he was dismissed.” If you dismissed Nigel Wright, why did your office release a statement saying that he had your confidence?

4. Have you, or any members of your staff, had any contact with Nigel Wright on any government business since he left your office on May 19, 2013?

Canadians deserve answers to these questions – answers that you have refused to provide.

Sincerely,

Justin Trudeau
Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada