He apologizes for having violated the Law on conflict of interest

Photo Boris Proulx
This is a Justin Trudeau shaken, who apologized Wednesday, in front of the media, not to have asked permission of the ethics commissioner of Canada for his trip on the private island of his “friend” the billionaire Aga Khan. This Christmas, Mr. Trudeau will remain in the country.

Guillaume St-Pierre and
Boris Proulx

Wednesday, 20 December 2017 12:38

UPDATE
Wednesday, 20 December 2017 22:16

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OTTAWA-Justin Trudeau, who had promised to be above reproach in ethics, has had to apologize for having violated the Law on conflict of interest to have stayed in the private island of a billionaire philanthropist last winter for his holiday vacation.

After an investigation of nearly a year, the ethics commissioner Mary Dawson concluded that the prime minister has violated four sections of the act. What blame does, however, results in no sanction.

“In the future, I’m going to approve all my family holidays by the office of the commissioner “, apologized Mr. Trudeau, on Wednesday. He thus became the first canadian prime minister in office to be blamed for the actions non-ethical. It is a new tile on the liberals, who have spent the last few months to defend the ethics of their minister of Finance, Bill Morneau.

The heart of the case was as to the nature of the relationship between Mr. Trudeau and the Aga Khan. The prime minister defended himself to have done wrong in stressing that the spiritual leader was a personal friend and that he could therefore not accept the “gift” of staying on his private island in the Bahamas.

Friends ?

However, the commissioner has determined that ” Mr. Trudeau and the Aga Khan are not friends in the sense of the law “. In the press conference, Mr. Trudeau has rejected the interpretation of the commissioner’s pounding as the Aga Khan is indeed a ” friend of the family “.

“That is why I did not approve this trip with the family, insisted Mr. Trudeau. But having regard to the report of the commissioner, I will take all the precautions in the future. “

The vacation of Justin Trudeau and his family on the island and the Aga Khan have cost around 215 000 $ to the taxpayers.

The commissioner considers that Justin Trudeau has received a “gift” on the part of the philanthropist heavily subsidized by the government and several of the lobbyists represent the interests in Ottawa. It concludes that the Aga Khan was looking possibly to “influence” the prime minister inviting her on his private island.

Ottawa has paid$ 330 Million to the Aga Khan Foundation since 1981, of which$ 110 Million since the arrival of Justin Trudeau in 2015. Mr. Trudeau claims that he has not discussed canadian politics or the affairs of the foundation with the Aga Khan during his stay on the island a year ago.

Gift

The commissioner blame as Justin Trudeau because he is not challenged during political discussions that would have encouraged the Aga Khan and his foundation. It would have also failed ” to manage his personal affairs so as to avoid this possibility “.

Commissioner Dawson has also concluded that Mr. Trudeau has violated the law by accepting travel to the helicopter staff of the Aga Khan to get on the private island.

Both the conservatives and neo-democrats see in the actions of the prime minister’s lack of judgment.

“The liberals apologize when they get caught the hand in the bag,” said new democrat Alexandre Boulerice.

What we learn in the report

Justin Trudeau or his wife went three times on the island

“[In addition to the trip to December 2016] Mr. Trudeau also agreed to a holiday on the island with his immediate family and other relatives, in December 2014. Also, members of his family, accompanied by their guests, had accepted a stay in march 2016. “

The Aga Khan was expecting something from Canada every time

“The government of Canada and the Aga Khan had official relations followed to the time where the one and the other to accept invitations to go to the island of the latter have been accepted, and that Mr. Trudeau was, as prime minister, able to move some of the folders in which the Aga Khan had an interest. “

Justin Trudeau talks about international politics with him

“Private conversations with the Aga Khan, focused on the geopolitics of the muslim world, the leadership role that Canada plays in the world, and the challenges that the Aga Khan was facing. “

The Aga Khan has a nickname in the Trudeau

“Mr. Trudeau affectionately known as the Aga Khan “Uncle K.” (“Uncle K.”). “

He became a “friend” when Trudeau has gained importance

“Everything leads us to believe that the friendship between [Justin Trudeau] and the Aga Khan derives from the election of Mr. Trudeau to the position of leader of the liberal Party of Canada and, later, of his accession to the post of prime minister. “

Source : Report Trudeau commissioner Mary Dawson

WHO IS The AGA KHAN ?

Photo AFP

• Prince Karim Al-Hussaini (or Karim Aga Khan IV), 81 years, born in Geneva in 1936 to a father was Pakistan’s ambassador to the UN and an English mother.

• He is the 49th imam hereditary – or spiritual leader – of the shia muslim ismaili.

• He is a graduate of Harvard in history of Islam.

• This imam and billionaire philanthropist has created the Network of Aga Khan development (AKDN), a charity that works in 30 countries and employs 80,000 people with an annual budget of 625 MILLION US$.

• His personal fortune was estimated at$ 800 MILLION US by Forbes magazine in 2010.

• It has the private island of Bells Cay, in the Bahamas, the domain of Aiglemont in France, three private jets and race horses.