Canada: surprise resignation of Minister of Finance amid scandal

Canadian Finance Minister Bill Morneau announced his resignation on Monday amid rumors of tensions with Justin Trudeau over the management of the pandemic, and while he is at the heart of an ethics scandal also targeting the head of government.

" While we are entering a new phase in the fight against the pandemic (...), it is time for a new Minister of Finance to be able to carry out this project on a long road strewn with pitfalls ", explained Mr. Morneau at a surprise press conference, as the country goes through its worst economic crisis since World War II. " This is why I am resigning from my functions as Minister of Finance and Member of Parliament, " he added after a meeting with Mr. Trudeau. He assured to have taken this decision on his own initiative, without being constrained by the head of government.

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Bill Morneau, who had held this post since 2015, said he intended to run for the post of Secretary General of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Justin Trudeau immediately indicated that he would support the candidacy, paying tribute to the minister. " Canada will strongly support his candidacy to lead this important global institution which will play a vital role in the global economic recovery ," he said in a statement. " Thanks to his leadership, Canada has developed a strong economy with one of the best records in the G7, created more than a million jobs and achieved the lowest unemployment rate in its history, " added Mr. Trudeau.

Discrepancies and investigation

For a week, several Canadian media have been reporting deep differences between Mr. Morneau and the Prime Minister on how to revive the Canadian economy, weakened by the coronavirus pandemic, without jeopardizing public finances while the expected deficit has reached more. of 340 billion dollars (216 billion euros).

The Minister of Finance is also targeted by an investigation by the Canadian Ethics Commissioner into his links with the charitable association We Charity (United in French) which employed his daughter, and to which the government had awarded a major contract without appeal. offers. This investigation also targets Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose mother, brother and wife have been paid by this association to the tune of approximately $ 300,000 for their participation in various events.

Like Mr. Trudeau, Mr. Morneau apologized for having participated in the discussions on the award of the government contract to the association. The contract has since been withdrawn, without ending the controversy that pushed Justin Trudeau's minority government back in the polls.

"Right hand amputee"

Bill Morneau revealed last month that he had reimbursed more than $ 41,000 in travel expenses covered by the We Charity association, shortly before being heard on the matter by a House of Commons committee. Several opposition parties have been demanding since his resignation. The outgoing leader of the Conservative Party, Andrew Scheer, sees it as " further proof of chaos in government ". " While Canadians worry about their health and finances, the government of Justin Trudeau is so plagued by scandals that Mr. Trudeau amputated his right hand to try to save his skin, " he said. he reacted on Twitter.

Last week, Justin Trudeau once again reiterated his full confidence in Mr. Morneau, even as he had just recruited Mark Carney, former Governor of the Bank of Canada, as special advisor on the management of the covid-19 crisis .

For several days, the Canadian media, which rather counted on an ousting of Mr. Morneau by the means of a reshuffle, put forward the names of potential successors to his post, one of the most important of the government. The names of Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and Minister of Foreign Affairs François-Philippe Champagne, or that of Mr. Carney, are regularly cited.