Canada’s PM Justin Trudeau faces ethics probe over charity grant program: Report

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is facing his third ethics probe over a charity grant programme according to reports.

Canada’s ethics commissioner Mario Dion’s office has launched a probe into the government’s decision to award a contract worth over C$900 million ($664 million) to a charity that has tied with the PM and his family, Bloomberg reported.

The government had awarded The Canada Student Service Grant was awarded to the WE Charity for setting up a programme to help students pay for tuition and other expenses during the pandemic, the report said.

The programme will offer one-time grants to student ranging from C$1,000 to C$5,000. However, WE Charity has ties to Trudeau and his family. Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau participated in multiple events held by the charity while Gregoire Trudeau hosts a podcast on the charity’s website, Reuters reported.

This had led to two lawmakers urging The Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to launch a probe into this decision as per reports.

WE Charity, however, has handed over the management of the grant programme to the government as the programme had been “enmeshed with controversy” since it was announced, according to an official statement.

According to Canada’s CTV News , Trudeau will be working with the investigation and provide all necessary information.

This is the third conflict of interest probe for Trudeau. He had previously been under the scanner for accepting a vacation on the Aga Khan’s private island. A second probe was launched on grounds of Trudeau allegedly seeking to influence a corporate legal case as per the Reuters the report.

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