Interior’s only Liberal MP is letting Trudeau speak for him on the ethics file

KELOWNA – Kelowna-Lake Country Liberal MP Stephen Fuhr has declined to update his position on the ethics scandal swirling around Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

In a March interview with iNFOnews.ca, Fuhr stood firmly behind Trudeau and pointed out that there were no allegations of any illegal actions by Trudeau in the SNC-Lavalin affair. Trudeau was accused, at that time, of putting undue pressure on then Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould to halt criminal charges against the engineering firm.

During that interview, Fuhr said he was satisfied that closed door conversations Wilson-Raybould had with Trudeau and his operatives were regular workings of government.

Yesterday, Aug. 14, Mario Dion, the federal ethics watchdog, said Trudeau had, in fact, violated the Conflict of Interest Act by putting improper pressure on Wilson-Raybould.

Asked again for a response, Fuhr responded with a brief written comment.

“The Prime Minister has responded by taking responsibility for the findings of the report, while maintaining that it is the role of government to protect Canadian jobs and pensions,” Fuhr wrote. “As to any further comment, as the Prime Minister said, the buck stops with him, and in my view it is appropriate that the Prime Minister speak for his and the actions of his office on this matter. My focus remains squarely on continuing to work with our government to deliver for the Okanagan.”

Fuhr did not respond to a follow-up email from iNFOnews asking, in part, if Dion’s ruling had shaken his faith in his leader or if it might “impact the voters who you are trying to serve” and whether it might cost him the fall election.

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