The government crisis in Canada over allegations of interference in the judiciary has worsened. Jane Philpott, who has previously been responsible for the government’s finances, submitted her resignation yesterday, putting further pressure on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
She has lost her faith in the government in dealing with the case, wrote the Minister in the short message service Twitter. „At stake is the independence and integrity of our justice system.“
Pressure for construction company exercised?
The affair deals with corruption investigations against SNC-Lavalin. The Canadian construction company is said to have bribed during the reign of Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi, killed in 2011, representatives of the North African state to secure contracts. In the case of a guilty verdict, the engineering and construction giant with more than 50,000 employees worldwide is expected to bid more than ten years for any public projects such as mining, transport and infrastructure.
Last February, former Canadian Attorney General and Attorney-General Jody Wilson-Raybould told a parliamentary committee that Trudeau and those around him had put pressure on them to stop the case being brought to justice. There have even been subliminal „threats“.
Minister of Justice
Wilson-Raybould refused to influence the investigation, was promoted to the head of the Veterans Ministry last January, and retired in February. A few days later, Trudeau’s longtime friend and advisor Gerry Butts resigned. The head of government has rejected the allegations. The opposition demands his resignation.
