By Canadian Press

Tories, NDP call on ethics watchdog to launch new probe of Morneau over WE trips

Jul 23, 2020 | 9:00 AM

OTTAWA — Opposition parties are asking the federal ethics watchdog to widen his probe of Bill Morneau regarding the WE organization as the finance minister continues to face calls for his resignation.

Conservatives and New Democrats have written to ethics commissioner Mario Dion to probe trips Morneau took three years ago, part of which were paid for by the WE organization.

Morneau admitted Wednesday he had just repaid WE Charity more than $41,000 for expenses the group covered for trips his family took to Kenya and Ecuador in 2017 to see some of its humanitarian work.

WE said the Morneau family trips were meant to be complimentary, part of a practice of showing donors WE’s work to encourage them to give more.

Conservative finance critic Pierre Poilievre says the trips violated several sections of the conflict of interest law that prohibit ministers or their families from accepting paid travel, adding that Morneau should resign his ministerial post.

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NDP MP Charlie Angus tells the ethics commissioner in a letter that the trips bring “to another level” concerns about Morneau’s involvement in handing WE a contract to run a $912-million student-volunteer program.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 23, 2020.

The Canadian Press