Read on Twitter
THREAD:
If we remove the laudable goals of the CSSG and the laudable work done by the WE Fdn and look at this situation ‘academically’ it’s hard from where I sit that no one flagged the potential for conflict, even the potential for the appearance of a conflict.
1/
If we remove the laudable goals of the CSSG and the laudable work done by the WE Fdn and look at this situation ‘academically’ it’s hard from where I sit that no one flagged the potential for conflict, even the potential for the appearance of a conflict.
1/
What in essence is the point of my view is that we had two highly places decision makers involved in approving a funding arrangement to a third party in which members of their family are compensated either for their time or expenses or that are promoted by the third party.
2/
2/
My view is based on my own experience as a DPOH and having to cut ties with a volunteer project because of the potential for advancement of my own career or financial interests. Similarly I had to divest myself of my side not for profit with my wife for similar reasons.
3/
3/
How, you may ask, does involvement with WE advance the career of either the PM or the Minister and their family? Beyond existing compensation or employment arrangements, there’s no doubt in my mind that WE would continue to be a platform for the Trudeau’s.
4/
4/
And that WE would make use of that continued relationship as a means of promoting both the foundation and the Trudeaus. It’s nearly impossible to measure to what degree that promotion might financially impact either WE or the Trudeaus but I’d argue that it would be positive.
5/
5/
Thereby creating the potential for conflict. Because WE wouldn’t be profiting directly (I hope) from administering the CSSG it’s the knock on and follow up from administering the program. And for those who say this seems a bit much.
6/
6/
You may be right, but the laws are such that there’s provisions for a cooling off period for when you leave office. It’s five years in some cases. So DPOHs have to be mindful of such things and need to keep that in mind.
7/
7/
IMO this all could have been avoided by having the PM and the Finance Minister recuse themselves from the deliberations and decisions made related to WE’s involvement. It’s moot now that WE has pulled out. But there’s still the conflict of interest investigation.
8/
8/
And that’s the appropriate form of investigation. Only if in the Commissioner’s view that criminal activities took place should the file be referred to the RCMP. But I haven’t seen anything beyond a potential conflict of interest and bad judgement.
9/9
9/9
