OTTAWA 鈥� Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is defending his decision to threaten Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer with a libel suit, saying that 鈥渢here are consequences鈥� for misleading Canadians, which he believes Scheer has done amid the SNC-Lavalin affair.
鈥淚 think highlighting that there are consequences short-term and long-term when politicians choose to twist the truth and distort reality for Canadians, it鈥檚 not something we鈥檙e going to put up with,鈥� Trudeau said on his way into a cabinet meeting Tuesday morning.
The potential lawsuit came to light over the weekend when Scheer held a press conference in which he distributed copies of a letter from the prime minister鈥檚 lawyer.
The letter to Scheer gave notice of a possible libel lawsuit over a statement the opposition leader issued on the day that Jody Wilson-Raybould鈥檚 supplementary statement and audio evidence related to the SNC-Lavalin scandal was released.
In that statement Scheer called Wilson-Raybould鈥檚 submission 鈥渃oncrete evidence that proves Justin Trudeau led a campaign to politically interfere in SNC-Lavalin鈥檚 criminal prosecution,鈥� and the entire affair 鈥渃orruption on top of corruption on top of corruption.鈥�
Scheer has said he stands by his comments and welcomes the opportunity for Trudeau to test the case in court, where he鈥檇 have to testify under oath about the scandal, something the Conservatives have been calling for.
Trudeau said in French that if Scheer withdraws the statement, he鈥檒l find that satisfactory and would not pursue the lawsuit further.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 important that all politicians be straight with Canadians in how they characterize their own actions and their own beliefs. I think we鈥檙e going to have an election in the coming months, you can鈥檛 be inventing things, you can鈥檛 be lying to Canadians,鈥� Trudeau said.
The potential court case dominated question period on Monday. Government House Leader Bardish Chagger fielded the questions in the prime minister鈥檚 absence. Trudeau attended question period today and this potential lawsuit once again was the dominating topic of questions he faced.
