Thursday, March 28, 2024
ADVT 
National

MPs vote to summon Kielburger brothers to testify

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 08 Mar, 2021 07:19 PM
  • MPs vote to summon Kielburger brothers to testify

Members of the House of Commons ethics committee have unanimously voted to summon WE Charity co-founders Craig and Marc Kielburger to testify.

Should the brothers not appear by this Friday to testify for at least three hours, the ethics committee has declared, they may face potential censure by the whole of the House of Commons.

The brothers had been scheduled to appear before the committee on Monday. It was originally meant to be the final day of testimony in the committee's probe of the charity's now-cancelled deal with the federal government to manage a student services grant.

But the charity noted in a statement last week that New Democrat MP Charlie Angus has requested that the RCMP and the Canada Revenue Agency investigate WE's operations.

"While WE Charity would welcome and co-operate with any potential investigation conducted by these agencies, no organization should be subject to both an investigation of the same matters by a partisan parliamentary committee which wishes to carry out its own substitute investigation," the statement said.

The charity said it would therefore decline the requests to testify. Monday's motion was originally put forward by the Conservatives, and amended by the NDP to set a deadline of Friday.

"This is a direct challenge to the powers of Parliament to investigate spending and issues of insider access that are well within the purview of our committee," Angus said of the brothers' refusal to testify.

"And it is well within the constitutional privileges that we have as democratically elected members representing the people of Canada."

Angus requested the RCMP and CRA investigations after a former donor, U.S. television journalist Reed Cowan, alleged that the plaque on a school he had funded in Kenya had been replaced with a plaque in the name of another donor.

WE said the incident was an unfortunate mistake; Angus called it proof of a "pattern of duplicitous relations with donors.''

Cowan made the allegations during testimonyin Februaryto the Commons ethics committee, which in turn had invited the Kielburger brothers to testify on Monday.

The brothers have already testified for four hours at the Commons finance committee last summer, after controversy over the student-grant program erupted.

That controversy dates back to the height of the Liberal government's response to the COVID-19 crisis when financial aid packages and programs were being spooled up swiftly to help those suddenly forced out of work.

A decision by the Liberals to award WE a contract for one such program, despite the organization's close ties to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his family, set off howls of protest and allegations of ethical violations.

Ethics commissioner Mario Dion is investigating the involvement of Trudeau and former finance minister Bill Morneau, who also has family ties to WE, in awarding the $43.5-million contract.

Both have apologized for not recusing themselves from the decision.

MORE National ARTICLES

Fourth unit at Vancouver General closed by COVID

Fourth unit at Vancouver General closed by COVID
COVID-19 outbreaks have forced closure of separate units at three other Lower Mainland hospitals since last month.

Fourth unit at Vancouver General closed by COVID

South Asian couple in Alberta charged with drug offences in relation to shooting

South Asian couple in Alberta charged with drug offences in relation to shooting
Harinder Brar, 30, and his wife, Hazel Brar, 30, of Rocky View County, have been charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking for the fentanyl and cocaine, possession of property obtained by crime and possession of a prohibited weapon.

South Asian couple in Alberta charged with drug offences in relation to shooting

Ontario doctor Kulvinder Kaur Gill faces backlash from college of physicians over unprofessional social media posts

Ontario doctor Kulvinder Kaur Gill faces backlash from college of physicians over unprofessional social media posts
There was concern that Dr.Gill appeared to be "willfully spreading false and misleading information regarding COVID-19 that goes directly against the advice and recommendations of local, provincial, and federal medical/science and public health authorities."

Ontario doctor Kulvinder Kaur Gill faces backlash from college of physicians over unprofessional social media posts

New Westminster Police investigating serious assault

New Westminster Police investigating serious assault
The victim was transported to hospital, where she remains in critical condition. A nearby school was temporarily sheltering in place as a precaution while NWPD officers secured the scene.

New Westminster Police investigating serious assault

564 COVID19 cases for Thursday

564 COVID19 cases for Thursday
She says she expects the plan will be finalized around March 18, in the meantime the initial supply will be used to address ongoing outbreaks that are leading to rapidly increasing case numbers in some communities.

564 COVID19 cases for Thursday

One of Canada’s most wanted arrested by Coquitlam RCMP

One of Canada’s most wanted arrested by Coquitlam RCMP
Police attended the residence and through the investigation identified Amin Yussuf, who has four outstanding warrants from a homicide that occurred in Edmonton on March 24, 2019.

One of Canada’s most wanted arrested by Coquitlam RCMP