Keilburgers testimony under oath clears up a few things:
1) #WECharity wasn’t going to keep ANY money from the govt, including from the $43.5M pot. That budget was to reimburse it & other NFPs for expenditures incurred in delivering the CSSG. The $500M was for students. #cdnpoli

2) Any amounts not spent would‘ve been returned to the govt. WE was approached by the govt to explore a service program. (via Rachel Wernick at ESDC on April 19). WE had wanted to pursue an entrepreneurship program, first shared with Min. Ng on April 9, but it didn’t get funded.

3) The Contribution Agreement was with the WE Charity Foundation because ESDC asked WE to take on the sole liability for 40K students in administering CSSG. They received advice to use the Foundation to limit liability. The govt knew this. They also got liability insurance.

4) WE pays educational speakers to do auxiliary events around WE days; they are not paid to speak at the WE days. Before JT was PM, Sophie was paid for a speaking engagement. When Margaret & Sasha spoke, it was after JT was PM. Compared to others, MT was paid on the lower end.

5) Kielburgers stated they don’t have a social relationship with the Trudeaus. No meals together, no socializing. WE has engaged with politicians of all parties, and had received more grant $ as a % of their budget from the Harper govt than the Trudeau govt.

6) Harper had also been invited to WE days. As had PM Trudeau. WE is not registered to lobby because they had minimal contact with govt prior to CSSG. They did not propose CSSG to govt. They agreed to help the govt deliver CSSG as a service to Canada to help students.

7) They had no contact with the PM or PMO on the CSSG.They had laid off staff when pandemic hit because schools were closed, their WE days & volunteer programs would have to be canceled. They told ESDC they would have to staff up to deliver CSSG. Could bring back laid off people.

8) Craig Kielburger: Damage from the political fallout to the WE organization has been unbelievable. There have been significant misrepresentations & falsehoods in the media and beyond. “There has been a devastating impact on our charity.”

8) Sean Fraser states MPs are being disrespectful by interrupting witnesses. They should have learned how to behave in grade school. (Very true. I have to say, I am impressed with how well Craig and Marc Keilburger have kept their cool.)