Mark Strahl, MP for Chilliwack-Hope, has issued a statement on the prime minister’s announcement of prorogation of Parliament until September 23, suggesting it’s part of a cover-up.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced Parliament will return Sept. 23, two days after the House of Commons was initially scheduled to resume sitting after reducing operations this spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Strahl says the Liberals have the country “in chaos” and that it’s not the first time Trudeau has shut down Parliament to avoid conflict.
“Earlier this year, Justin Trudeau shamefully shut down Parliament to try and avoid accountability,” Strahl said. “Now he has locked out opposition MPs who were working hard to fix his government’s pandemic programs, help Canadians and get to the bottom of his corruption scandal.”
“The only reason Justin Trudeau locked out Parliament today in the middle of a major health and economic crisis was to create a cover-up.”
He added that Trudeau could have waited until Sept. 20 to allow Parliamentary committees “to continue their multiple ethics investigations into his corruption until then. Instead he ended those hearings to give himself an accountability-free summer.”
Strahl said the resignation of Liberal Finance Minister Bill Morneau the day prior “is further proof of a government in chaos.”
“As long as Justin Trudeau is protected, everyone else is disposable. Just ask Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott,” Strahl said. “At a time when Canadians are looking for stability and leadership, Justin Trudeau has given them corruption, chaos, and cover-ups.”
He said those with questions about the WE conflict of interest should have them answered.
“Conservatives will continue to hold Justin Trudeau and his government accountable and we will keep fighting for the answers that Canadians deserve.”
Trudeau says his Liberal government will release thousands of pages of documents related to the WE controversy that had been turned over to the House of Commons finance committee. That committee demanded the documents as part of its investigation into whether Trudeau’s relationship with WE Charity influenced the government’s decision to have the organization run a federal student-volunteer program.
READ MORE: Parliament prorogued, confidence coming on throne speech, says Trudeau
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