Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, president of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, is calling out Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for the removal of the former Attorney General and Justice Minister and former Treasury Board President.
“We are absolutely disgusted that Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott have been kicked out of the Liberal caucus and dropped as candidates because they chose to act honorably and with integrity regarding the SNC-Lavalin scandal rather than kowtow to Liberal political pressure. Apparently, this equates to being ‘untrustworthy’ in the shifty eyes of Justin Trudeau, who is clearly committed to propping up cronyism and the old boys’ network,” said Phillip in a news release.
READ ALSO: Trudeau says Wilson-Raybould, Philpott no longer Liberal caucus members
Both Wilson-Raybould and Philpott were kicked out of the Liberal caucus on Tuesday as the fallout continues in the SNC-Lavalin affair. Wilson-Raybould accused political interference by the Prime Minister’s Office in the criminal prosectution of the engineering firm.
READ ALSO: Supporters in Vancouver riding would back Wilson-Raybould as an Independent
Phillip, former Penticton Indian Band Chief, is among the growing number of supporters voicing their disappointment. According to the Canadian Press, supporters in Vancouver Granville have stood by their MP and on Wednesday the vice-president of a Chilliwack-Hope Liberal riding association has quit.
READ ALSO: B.C. riding association leader quits
Phillip said Trudeau and his party are ready to sweep serious corruption and fraud charges under the rug.
“This type of shoddy, slimy backroom politics, is the exact opposite to the ‘new kind of government’ that Trudeau and his sunny ways promised. How can the Liberals be considered a united team if members of their office have inappropriately sought to interfere with and undermine Jody Wilson-Raybould’s actions regarding the criminal prosecution of SNC-Lavalin?”
READ ALSO: Butts, Wilson-Raybould texts show mountain anger, frustration over shuffle
UBCIC secretary treasurer Kukpi7 Judy Wilson said “Canada has hit yet another low in its treatment of Indigenous peoples.”
“Justin Trudeau’s ministerial mandate letters all claim that ‘no relationship is more important to Canada than the one with Indigenous peoples.’ This couldn’t be further from the truth, as the first Indigenous Attorney General and Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould was kicked out of caucus for upholding the law. We hold up our hands to Jody Wilson-Raybould for her fierce advocacy, honesty and commitment to speak the truth and we applaud Dr. Philpott for standing up for our government’s democratic institutions and refusing to stay quiet while the Liberal Party incited a gaslighting of Wilson-Raybould to justify their own unconscionable behavior, including lying to the public about inappropriately pressuring Wilson-Raybould.”
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