Top Trudeau adviser Gerald Butts resigns, denies PMO pressured Wilson-Raybould
Shawn McCarthy Global Energy reporter
Published February 18, 2019
Updated 4 minutes ago
134 Comments
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s top adviser and long-time friend Gerald Butts has resigned his post as principal secretary, but denies that he or anyone in Mr. Trudeau’s office pressured former justice minister Jody Wilson-Raybould in the prosecution of SNC-Lavalin on bribery and fraud charges.
“I categorically deny the accusation that I or anyone else in this office pressured Ms. Wilson-Raybould,” Mr. Butts said in a statement on Monday. “We honoured the unique role of the Attorney General. At all times, I and those around me acted with integrity and a singular focus on the best interests of all Canadians.”
Thanks for the notes of encouragement to all who have reached out. @jodilhbutts and I appreciate the love and support. But public institutions are bigger and more important than any of their temporary occupants. Please see my statement. https://t.co/LkybmLiYbG
— Gerald Butts 🇨🇦 (@gmbutts) February 18, 2019
A Globe and Mail story on Feb. 7 said Ms. Wilson-Raybould came under pressure from the Prime Minister’s Office to instruct prosecutors to offer SNC-Lavalin a deferred prosecution deal to avoid a trial.
Mr. Trudeau has said he discussed the issue with her last September, but that he told her it was her decision to make. He said she should have come forward if she felt she was being pressured by his staff.
On Monday, Mr. Trudeau used Twitter to thank Mr. Butts “for his service and continued friendship.”
“Gerald Butts served this government — and our country — with integrity, sage advice and devotion,” Mr. Trudeau wrote.
Ms. Wilson-Raybould, whom Mr. Trudeau demoted to Veterans Affairs in a shuffle in January, resigned from cabinet last week and said she had retained legal counsel to determine what she can and cannot talk about within the confines of solicitor-client privilege over the SNC-Lavalin affair.
Along with chief of staff Katie Telford, Mr. Butts has been at Mr. Trudeau’s side since he ran for the Liberal leadership in 2013, and was a key architect of the party’s election victory in 2015.
New Democratic Party MP Nathan Cullen said Mr. Butts’ resignation and denials will do nothing to persuade Canadians that there was not untoward pressure on Ms. Wilson-Raybould.
“He should expect to be subpoenaed” by the Commons justice committee, Mr. Cullen said in an interview. “If you are innocent of all accusations, you don’t tend to quit your job. And this was the most powerful person within this government outside of the Prime Minister himself. The Liberals keep denying with their words but keep convincing me with their actions that this scandal is real and this goes deep.”
>www .theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-trudeau-aid-gerald-butts-resigns-in-wake-of-snc-lavalin-scandal/
Something big going on in Canada