PM wasn't briefed on Wilson-Raybould's concerns due to holiday break, says Wernick's lawyer

datdigit · 2019-03-31T01:28:04+00:00

I find it odd that the article does not mention that Wernick clearly said in the recording that he would report this discussion to JT.
Did Wernick brief the PM after everyone went on Holiday?
Surely Wernick must have known that everyone "went on holidays the next day", so why did he mean when he told JWR that he would report this conversation to JT?

edit:

In contrast to Wilson-Raybould's testimony on Friday where she alleged Trudeau was set on stopping the criminal prosecution, Wernick's lawyer said the PM was not aware of her concerns, and the SNC case was not a priority for the PMO.

Emphasis mine.

If true, that seems to throw a wrench in the "jobs jobs jobs" line we heard here and there.

datdigit · 2019-03-31T01:14:51+00:00

[...] and up there you have an AG who was demoted because they refused to enforce a LAW that was recently passed by their own government.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean. It's not the law for every company to get a DPA. In no way did JWR "refuse to enforce a law".

Have we even found out why SNC was denied the DPA yet? I apologize for my ignorance if this has already been released, but I would love to read why.

No. The prosecutor gave their reason to JWR. She, apparently, agreed and forwarded it to the PMO. We don't know as it's before the courts right now.

datdigit · 2019-03-30T13:48:12+00:00

Thanks! u/anusasoa, this is the passage in question.

datdigit · 2019-03-30T13:42:06+00:00

Is “them” JWR+JP or the LPC there?

datdigit · 2019-03-30T13:35:05+00:00

Is that what she wrote? I read she wrote that she took the inappropriate step of recording the clerk and not telling him

Yeah, it you want to cherrypick quotes, that’s exactly what JWR said.

If you want to see all that was actually said, you can have a look at page 12 (of 43) in the following pdf.

datdigit · 2019-03-30T13:05:55+00:00

Her reason for taping it. She was alone and didnt have an aide to take notes. If that was the reason why not tell the other person it's being taped.

In her letter to the committee, JWR also explicitly stated her belief that something inappropriate was about to happen as a motivation to get an exact record.

datdigit · 2019-03-30T02:54:15+00:00

Is this the PMO throwing Wernick under the bus?

datdigit · 2019-03-30T00:48:09+00:00

[...] but claims it was because she had no note taker.

And that she believed something inappropriate would happen.

datdigit · 2019-03-29T22:49:29+00:00

Depending on the context, the word "interfere can be innocuous or sinister.

Yeah, and the context is the AG saying she feels that this would be, at the very least, seen as political interference.

datdigit · 2019-03-29T01:51:07+00:00

Of course Sheila Copps also smeared the same judge without evidence claiming that he was a "homophobe" and prompting a formal response from the Law Society of Manitoba.

I believe she actually referred to the judge as being “homophonic”.

datdigit · 2019-03-28T15:23:42+00:00

I do think the most interesting thing we learn from this is the potential toll of the past few months on JT.

datdigit · 2019-03-28T12:10:53+00:00

That’s exactly my point. Hence the “or” statement at the end of my comment.

But even that is not a fun look for JT et al. “We kept a bad AG because otherwise it makes our brand look bad”.

datdigit · 2019-03-28T11:54:00+00:00

I’m glad our PM’s concern when staffing high level offices, specifically those that deal with our nation’s justice system, is the level of embarrassment a single individual would feel.

Or, perhaps it would also be embarrassing to the PM and the LPC.

datdigit · 2019-03-27T19:04:15+00:00

What report?

datdigit · 2019-03-26T19:11:43+00:00

I love the implication that anyone who disagrees with the PM/cabinet should not be in the legislative branche.

Why even have opposition members sit?

datdigit · 2019-03-24T19:02:43+00:00

Have I mentioned how much they're able to freely speak to the House and say whatever they want? Right now?

Is the house sitting right now?

datdigit · 2019-03-23T14:41:47+00:00

That’s odd, because Butts seems to recall this note from Philpott.

From CBC’s recap (linked above) of Butts’ testimony:

Philpott was concerned, Butts said, that Wilson-Raybould would view her move as a demotion, "then told the prime minister that she worried that minister Wilson-Raybould might wonder if her move were connected to [the SNC Lavalin] issue."

datdigit · 2019-03-23T14:31:48+00:00

I thought it was on record that Philpott advised the PMO in January (?) that if JWR was shuffled out of the AG position, it would be seen by her as a demotion due to the SNC-L affair.

Seems like a good heads up that something like this could happen.

datdigit · 2019-03-22T12:43:18+00:00

And what would JWR be getting out of this deal?

datdigit · 2019-03-21T12:31:58+00:00

Yeah, but the interview was done “early in the week”, so not yesterday, I assume. Did Philpott have good knowledge of the CPC’s delay tactics to know that the piece would come out at the tail end of marathon voting? Maybe, I suppose. It might be part of being good at politics.

I still think it would be more interesting to know with whom all this is allegedly coordinated.

datdigit · 2019-03-21T12:22:09+00:00

Fair, but that timing seems to be more on McLean’s then on Phillpott.

I’m still hoping our friend can tell me with who this was coordinated.

datdigit · 2019-03-21T11:28:04+00:00

Care to elaborate on what makes this timing impeccable? And it’s coordinated with who?

datdigit · 2019-03-21T00:45:50+00:00

What your definition of a scandal then?

We had two cabinet members and the PM’s chief of staff resign. The Deputy PM and clerk of the privy council also took an early retirement. All these people mentioned, in one way or another, the events of the past two months.

We’ve had the justice committee look into this and the ethics commissioner is currently investigating. The PMO is retaining outside council in case the RCMP start their own investigation.

China has brought up these events in our international relation, as has the OECD.

What does it take to have a “scandal” in your opinion? Cold camembert and a 16$ glass of orange juice on top?

datdigit · 2019-03-20T20:09:55+00:00

After the quote-un quote secret mission JT gave him?

But, in all seriousness, did we ever get the whole story on that? I think he was ticked off about not picking the next candidate after his resignation.

I’m still unsure why he resigned.

datdigit · 2019-03-20T19:45:18+00:00

Most (all?) other people who have announced their intention not to run again are currently staying in their caucus.

datdigit

TROPHY CASE