Essential trust in the team was lost.
That’s how Delta MP Carla Qualtrough described the expelling of former cabinet ministers Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott from the Liberal caucus by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last week.
“As a former athlete, I know what it means to be a member of a team,” Qualtrough said in a statement to the Optimist. “Being able to trust your fellow teammates is essential to the overall success of the team. The same is true in government. Trust is not only important, it is essential to our system of government. I truly am saddened by the events that have transpired over the past several weeks. However, with all that has come to light, it is clear that the essential trust that once existed has been lost.
“As a Liberal caucus, we work together based on shared ideals and values. They are what bind us together, and what we each fight for day in and day out for Canadians. Unfortunately, what has transpired over the past several weeks with Ms. Wilson-Raybould and Dr. Philpott has made it abundantly clear they could not continue as members of our team.”
The SNC-Lavalin controversy has engulfed the Liberal government for nearly two months following Wilson-Raybould's allegations that as attorney general she was improperly pressured by the Prime Minister's Office to intervene in criminal proceedings against the Montreal-based engineering giant.
“Civil wars within parties are incredibly damaging because they signal to Canadians that we care more about ourselves than about them,” said Trudeau. “That’s why I made the difficult decision to remove Ms. Wilson-Raybould and Dr. Philpott from the Liberal caucus.
“We’ve taken every effort to address their concerns, but ultimately, if they can’t honestly say that they have confidence in this team – despite weeks of testimony, face-to-face conversations, and phone calls with myself and other members of caucus – then they cannot be part of this team.”
-With a file from Canadian Press
