By Canadian Press

PM not budging on SNC-Lavalin controversy dogging his government

Feb 21, 2019 | 9:30 AM

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is signalling that his view of the SNC-Lavalin controversy has not budged despite a swirl of developments in the last week.

Trudeau says he remains disappointed and surprised by Jody Wilson-Raybould’s decision to resign from cabinet — even though she spoke to ministers behind closed doors on Tuesday.

Wilson-Raybould resigned last week amid allegations she was improperly pressured by the Prime Minister’s Office to allow Quebec engineering firm SNC-Lavalin to negotiate a settlement rather than be prosecuted for bribery and fraud over its work in Libya.

She remains a Liberal MP and met with both cabinet members and the Liberal caucus this week.

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Trudeau has acknowledged there were conversations between himself and his advisers with Wilson-Raybould about SNC-Lavalin but that he has always told her the decision on an alternative to prosecution was entirely hers to make.

Wilson-Raybould said in the House of Commons on Wednesday that she wanted a chance to speak, but that confidentiality wasn’t hers to waive.

The Canadian Press