Image Credit: The Canadian Press

By James Peters

Two & Out

PETERS: Morneau has been skating on thin ethical ice for years

Jul 24, 2020 | 10:35 AM

THE MORE DAYS WE PUT IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR, the more difficult it becomes to remember them, it seems.

As an example, when I began to contemplate a column this week calling for the resignation of Finance Minister Bill Morneau, it took a little help from Google for me to realize I had already done that.

It was nearly three years ago, and Morneau was apologizing once again for government actions that could benefit his family financially.

In this case, it revolved around Morneau Shepell, a company that stood to benefit from legislation he was sponsoring involving private pensions.

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At that time, Morneau was still a neophyte politician, holding the office of Minister of Finance while at the same time serving his first ever term as an elected official on any level.

Even so, it was appropriate then that he resign. He didn’t, and in fact didn’t really face any consequences.

Fast forward to 2020 and Morneau is wrapped up in the WE Charity scandal.

The government awarded and then un-awarded WE Charity Foundation with a contract worth more than $900 million.

WE, it turned out, has close ties with both the Morneau and Trudeau families.

So close, actually, that their family members are or were being paid by the organization.

And finally, Morneau himself received tens of thousands of dollars worth of travel from WE, something he only paid back when the heat was coming around the corner.

This government has become known for its prolific apologizing.

You can even Google Justin Trudeau’s top 10 apologies — for his own actions, for his government’s actions and for historical wrongs committed by past governments.

In spite of all of that apologizing, there have been few consequences for the Liberal government — and that implicates the opposition as much as it does Trudeau and his colleagues.

We are in minority parliament territory now, though, and something has to give.

It should be Morneau, who clearly has skated on thin ethical ice for far too long.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.