Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been popular with liberal Canadians for his self-proclaimed feminism and dedication to equality in government. He famously built a 50-50 gender split in his cabinet, stating that “It’s important to be here before you today to present to Canada a cabinet that looks like Canada.” However, voters’ favor of him is dropping in response to a scandal involving the engineering and construction company SNC-Lavalin, the nature of which has resulted in some high-ranking women in his cabinet stepping down to distance themselves from his actions.
SNC-Lavalin has a history of using bribery and fraud to win government work contracts. Since 2015, it has been embroiled in an accusation of bribing the Libyan government. If it is found guilty, it could be banned from taking such contracts for the next 10 years. The company hoped to dodge this penalty by applying for a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA), which would allow it to instead pay a penalty fee but continue otherwise as normal. The introduction of DPAs, which specifically protect companies from penalties for financial crimes like bribery and corruption, was lobbied in large part by SNC-Lavalin under the pretense of protecting workers that depend on their jobs.
Member of Parliament Jody Wilson-Raybould vocally opposed the request for a DPA, claiming the company did not fit the criteria for one and should be punished accordingly for their actions. She was demoted from attorney general and justice minister to veterans’ affairs portfolio as the hearing approached, which many saw as a direct result of her opposition. Trudeau, famous for apologizing when he steps out of line, was notably uncompromising when he was asked about rumors that he had pressured her to vote differently. He claimed there was “no inappropriate pressure” and that he had simply asked her to consider all sides of the situation.
Wilson-Raybould, who is against Canadian policy that prevents MPs from discussing their previous positions, spoke out to say that Trudeau and many of his aides sent her messages over phone, email, text and in person asking her to consider her decision. She admitted this was not illegal, as they did not explicitly tell her which way to vote, but the intentions of their actions were clear. Wilson-Raybould resigned last month, as did Minister Jane Philpott and Trudeau’s chief aide, Gerald Butts. Trudeau’s popularity took a hit as well, with polls shifting in favor of conservative opposition.
In the U.S., a scandal like this seems miniscule. It is outlandish to us that a leader’s career could be knocked down over a scandal that does not involve foreign collusion or sexual harassment. This highlights a fundamental difference between Canadian and American politics. In the U.S., voters are generally expected to align themselves with a candidate by their values, regardless of their actions under them. In Canada, individual ethics are valued over the party, and many feel less reserved about switching across the aisle from a candidate that violates ethical codes. We have become so acclimated to corruption and scandal that we expect it as part of the package and instead hope that support of an ideology will justify the means officials take to enact it.
In America, there is a fantasy of Canada as a liberal paradise. With a vocally progressive leader and generally less involvement in foreign conflicts, it is easy to see why. But we must be careful of an idealized version of such a complex political situation. It is very likely that the next round of elections will see a conservative prime minister. While this would still likely land left of the U.S.’s current situation, anyone considering moving to Canada as an escape from our political climate should recognize the tradeoffs offered by a government where comparably small disputes can shift political alignments.
Photo from G20 Argentina via Flickr
