Thursday, March 28, 2024
ADVT 
National

Trudeau has 'full confidence' in Morneau: PMO

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 11 Aug, 2020 07:56 PM
  • Trudeau has 'full confidence' in Morneau: PMO

 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tried Tuesday to shut down speculation that he's about to fire his finance minister, saying he has full confidence in Bill Morneau and that any reports to the contrary are false.

Trudeau's office took the unusual step of issuing a statement in support of Morneau as rumours about the minister's imminent departure from the crucial finance post reached a fever pitch on Parliament Hill.

For several weeks, opposition parties have been calling for Morneau's resignation over allegations that he had a conflict of interest in the WE Charity affair. Morneau and Trudeau are both facing investigations by the federal ethics watchdog.

But news this week that Mark Carney, a former governor of both the Bank of Canada and Bank of England, is helping to advise Trudeau on the post-pandemic economic recovery fuelled speculation that Morneau is about to be replaced as finance minister.

In the statement Tuesday, the Prime Minister's Office praises Morneau's record, including his "lead role" in creating emergency aid programs to help individuals and businesses survive the economic shutdown triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Since we formed government, Minister Morneau has worked relentlessly with all his colleagues, and closely with the prime minister, to deliver critical support for Canadians to build a strong and resilient economy," it said.

"In particular, Minister Morneau played a central role that saw Canada develop one of the best economies in the G7, a million new jobs over the first mandate, generational changes to the CPP, the lowest unemployment rate in Canadian history, and over a million Canadians lifted out of poverty."

The statement said Morneau is continuing his important work of helping Canadians survive the economic impact of the pandemic.

"Of course the prime minister has full confidence in Minister Morneau and any statement to the contrary is false. The prime minister knows that Minister Morneau and the entire team of cabinet ministers will keep doing the work that Canadians rely on to get them through this pandemic."

Earlier Tuesday, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said it mattered little to him whether Morneau or someone else serves as finance minister under Trudeau.

"It really doesn't matter, making a trade for Bill Morneau, when you've got a prime minister that has such a lack of ethics embroiled in so many scandals," Scheer told reporters at a news conference in Ottawa.

MORE National ARTICLES

COVID warning over Foot Locker in Vancouver

COVID warning over Foot Locker in Vancouver
The health authority in Vancouver is warning those who shopped at the Foot Locker on Robson Street to monitor for symptoms of COVID-19.

COVID warning over Foot Locker in Vancouver

BC Ferries eligible for Safe Restart funding

BC Ferries eligible for Safe Restart funding
The financially struggling BC Ferries will be eligible to receive funding through the joint federal and provincial Safe Restart Agreement.

BC Ferries eligible for Safe Restart funding

Many failures before girl's death: rights body

Many failures before girl's death: rights body
An investigation by Quebec's human rights commission into the death of a seven-year-old girl in Granby, Que., has identified failures at all stages of the clinical and legal process designed to protect her.

Many failures before girl's death: rights body

Court upholds immigration detention rules

Court upholds immigration detention rules
Canada's rules for detaining foreigners who can't be deported quickly are constitutional, the Federal Court of Appeal has found, rejecting an argument there should be time limits for detention in immigration cases like there are for criminal trials.

Court upholds immigration detention rules

Vancouver records tenth homicide of 2020

Vancouver records tenth homicide of 2020
Vancouver police are seeking witnesses to an assault last week on the city's Downtown Eastside, saying the details could be critical to what is now a homicide investigation.

Vancouver records tenth homicide of 2020

Immigrating to Canada? Latest Updates & Rule Changes due to Covid-19

Immigrating to Canada? Latest Updates & Rule Changes due to Covid-19
Expert shares latest updates and changes in rules in Immigration rules of Canada.

Immigrating to Canada? Latest Updates & Rule Changes due to Covid-19

PrevNext