Thank you Jody Wilson-Raybould. On Wednesday, you reassured Canadians there exists no more powerful combination than the truth and the courage to be a truth-speaker.
The significance of your testimony before Canada’s parliamentary justice committee alarmingly revealed that rule of law is for sale and even the top law enforcement official in the land is not immune to threat, intimidation and ultimately firing when she refuses to agree to slip a price tag on the law.
You shone light into what had, and by way of the prime minister’s response to your testimony, remains at its most elucidating, a murky goulash of non-truths, half-truths and innuendo.
Ms. Wilson-Raybould, you assured Canadians you wished to share your truth. Your truth is compelling and supported by a detailed accounting of your and your former chief of staff’s interactions with the most senior officials within the PMO, as well as the minister of finance and the prime minister of Canada.
You, unlike the Clerk of the Privy Council testifying days earlier before the same committee, steered clear of the ridiculous (“vomitorium“) and gratuitous (“I’m worried that somebody’s going to be shot in this country this year during the political campaign”).
You took Canadians into your confidence. Justin Trudeau’s chief of staff, Katie Telford, offered she could “line up all sorts of people who could write op-eds to say what Jody is doing is proper.”
Get daily National news
WATCH BELOW: Wilson-Raybould says she was pressured to ‘help out’ in SNC-Lavalin case
That is, so long as Jody was doing the bidding of the PMO and ultimately the prime minister — namely, interfere with federal prosecutors and support a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) for Quebec-based corporate giant SNC-Lavalin, shoving out of the picture the criminal prosecution already decided on.
Ms. Wilson-Raybould, at times during your testimony you perhaps felt very much alone. I can’t imagine how that was not the case given the surroundings, the presence of at least several committee members who were clearly hostile to you on Wednesday, as well as all that preceded the hearing.
Wednesday was not about politics. It wasn’t about public discourse or support or challenge of legislative initiatives.
On Wednesday, you rose above the daily give-and-take and were a courageous guardian of the most precious commodity which serves to connect the people and their elected governments: principle.
-
![]()
More details released by Calgary police following suspected arson in Hillhurst -
![]()
Ukraine accuses Russia of firing intercontinental missile for 1st time -
![]()
Genetics insights and AI-driven discoveries: There’s new hope in the fight to cure cancer -
![]()
Malala Yousafzai, Jennifer Lawrence team up to tell stories of brave Afghan women
Defending principle resulted in your firing as Canada’s attorney general. It also hollowed out the declaration by Justin Trudeau that had Scott Brison not retired from cabinet and government, you would still today occupy the post of AG.
The prime minister was reduced to “strongly” disagreeing with your testimony. In that case, Trudeau should now follow you and appear before the parliamentary justice committee to share with the people of Canada, point by point, what he strongly disagrees with you about.
Wernick, during his appearance before the committee, concluded his opening remarks by saying, “Most of all I worry about people losing faith in the institutions of governance of this country, and that’s why these proceedings are so important.”
Amen to that.
Ms. Wilson-Raybould, thank you.
Roy Green is the host of the Roy Green Show on the Global News Radio network.
Listen to the latest from the Roy Green Show
Subscribe to the Roy Green Show Podcast now at Apple Podcast or Google Play
Comments