Former advisor to a floundering prime minister, Gerald Butts, delivers a series of denials to the testimony given by former justice minister, Jody Wilson-Raybould.
Not one second of it is under oath.
That and not handing over all pertinent texts (how does a resigned man have access to government texts?) was a decision made by the rest of the federal Liberals. Yeah, like that doesn't look conspicuous.
His full written statement here.
Parsing through a few lies:
Butts declares that it was impossible for Jody to have made up her mind on the deferred prosecution agreement regarding SNC-Lavalin:
Yes, about that:
Butts also claimed that the cabinet shuffle had nothing to do with SNC-Lavalin:
However:
Butts also claimed that Jody never complained about any pressure.
Well ...
Then there are these little gems:
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Oh, no. None of that looks at all suspicious or criminal.
Not one second of it is under oath.
That and not handing over all pertinent texts (how does a resigned man have access to government texts?) was a decision made by the rest of the federal Liberals. Yeah, like that doesn't look conspicuous.
His full written statement here.
Parsing through a few lies:
Butts declares that it was impossible for Jody to have made up her mind on the deferred prosecution agreement regarding SNC-Lavalin:
If Wilson-Raybould had made up her mind up on SNC-Lavalin, Butts said she didn't need to disclose anything about the content of her decision or order to public prosecutors, but could have let the Prime Minister's Office know a decision had been made.
Wilson-Raybould didn't, he said, and it seemed she solicited further meetings on the matter and welcomed further advice.
Yes, about that:
Trudeau raised the issue “immediately,” even though it wasn’t the focus on the meeting, Wilson-Raybould said. The prime minister said, “there would be many jobs lost and SNC would move from Montreal.”
Wilson-Raybould said she had done her due diligence and was not going to change her mind on the decision to pursue prosecution. Wernick said the company would likely be moving to London, England if they didn’t get strike a deferred prosecution agreement.
The prime minister reminded Wilson-Raybould that he was an “MP from Quebec — the member from Papineau.” That was entirely political and entirely inappropriate, Wilson-Raybould said. She said she looked the prime minister in the eye and asked him if he was politically interfering in the decision. Trudeau said he wasn’t. ...
“We both sought out this meeting,” said Wilson-Raybould.
“I need everybody to stop talking to me about SNC, because I have made up my mind,” she told Butts. ...
Wilson-Raybould said she took the call from home, by herself.
Wernick told her Trudeau wants to be able to say he “tried everything he can within the legitimate toolbox.” Wernick said Trudeau doesn’t want to do anything “outside the box of what is legal and proper.”
Wilson-Raybould said Wernick told her that “I think (the prime minister) is gonna find a way to get it done one way or another. So, he is in that kinda mood and I wanted you to be aware of that.”
Butts also claimed that the cabinet shuffle had nothing to do with SNC-Lavalin:
Cabinet selections are among the most difficult tasks for any First Minister. ...
In this case, the Prime Minister would have just a handful of days to factor in all of these complex considerations. And I can say to you with absolute certainty that SNC-Lavalin was not one of them.
However:
Within these conversations, there were express statements regarding the necessity of interference in the SNC-Lavalin matter, the potential of consequences and veiled threats if a DPA was not made available to SNC.
These conversations culminated in Dec. 19, 2018, with a conversation I had with the clerk of the Privy Council, a conversation that I will provide some significant detail on.
A few weeks later, on Jan. 7, 2019, I was informed by the prime minister that I was being shuffled out of the role of minister of Justice and the attorney general of Canada.
Butts also claimed that Jody never complained about any pressure.
Well ...
Then there are these little gems:
**
In his last few minutes of testimony, Butts said the deferred prosecution agreement at the heart of the questions surrounding the SNC-Lavalin affair has been badly mischaracterized as a get-out-of-jail-free card, instead of a way for companies to make amends while protecting innocent workers, shareholders and pensioners from being harmed.
The head of SNC-Lavalin told the Canadian government it had to change its anti-corruption rules "as expeditiously as possible" in a 2017 letter to the minister in charge of procurement, just as her department was helping oversee public consultations on lighter punishments for corporate misconduct.
**
Gatineau Liberal MP Steve MacKinnon is walking back his claim that SNC-Lavalin is "entitled" to a deferred prosecution deal to avoid criminal trial.
**
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is holding high-level discussions today to plot next steps in the ongoing SNC-Lavalin controversy — steps which may include Trudeau making some display of contrition over how officials in his office conducted themselves.
Oh, no. None of that looks at all suspicious or criminal.
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