EDITORIAL: The fallout from Lavscam has begun
Article content
The SNC-Lavalin mess is now giving the government not just domestic headaches but also international ones. And we’re not just talking about news coverage, as the world’s media begins to pick up this story.
No, the problem is other governments around the world are now seeing how they can use this havoc to their advantage.
Recommended Videos
tap here to see other videos from our team.
EDITORIAL: The fallout from Lavscam has begun Back to video
tap here to see other videos from our team.
The Chinese government in Beijing is now getting the idea that if Prime Minister Justin Trudeau can do Lavalin’s bidding, why can’t he do the same for Huawei?
As a recent Reuters report explained: “Asked by a state media journalist if it was contradictory for Trudeau to say he couldn’t interfere in Meng’s case while his government is accused of trying to intervene in the SNC-Lavalin case, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said he “really liked this question.”
“Of course I think that is a question that should be asked of the Canadian government,” Lu said.
You can’t blame China for trying. If the Prime Minister’s Office even offers up the merest hint that we’re the sort of country that can bend our legal system for personal, political or business reasons then expect people to line up and start asking for their turn.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
On Friday, the federal government approved the U.S. extradition process for Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou. This allows a judge to start hearing arguments about the case. But ultimately it is still up to new Attorney General David Lametti to approve her eventual extradition or not.
Former AG Jody Wilson-Raybould, in her scorched earth testimony earlier this week, said that she’d heard one of Lametti’s first tasks would be the SNC-Lavalin file. One can take that to mean the interference Wilson-Raybould repeatedly received was also dished out for Lametti as soon as he got in the post.
How will Lametti respond to this Lavalin issue? Is he open to this sort of pressure? If he is – or even if he is perceived to be – will China see an opening and attempt to pressure him and others?
“It sends a signal to other countries that Canada’s supposedly ironclad laws and system of due process are in fact flexible,” Anthony Furey wrote of the SNC-Lavalin affair. “It can start a feeding frenzy.”
It looks like that fallout may have begun.
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.