Scheer calls on Trudeau to resign over WE deal

OTTAWA — Outgoing Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should resign over his role in the controversy involving the WE organization.

Scheer has previously called for Finance Minister Bill Morneau to be fired for trips he and members of his family took in 2017, part of which were paid for by the WE organization.

He’s now also calling on members of the Liberal Party to join him in calling for these resignations.

“Are they prepared to sacrifice their personal integrity to protect their scandal-plagued leader and to cover up corruption?” Scheer said.

However, Minister of Middle Class Prosperity Mona Fortier is joining others in her party in expressing full support for the government.

“Yes, I do have full confidence,” she said.

When asked if he would be willing to force an election over the issue in the minority Parliament, Scheer said such an opportunity will not come until the House of Commons resumes full business in September, which is why he says Trudeau and Morneau should leave now of their own accord.

He also says a decision about seeking to defeat the Liberal government on a confidence motion should be made by the next leader of the party after results of the Conservative leadership contest are announced in late August.

Trudeau has agreed to appear before the House of Commons finance committee probing the Liberal government’s decision to give WE Charity a contract to run a $900-million student-volunteer program.

The federal ethics watchdog is already investigating Trudeau and Morneau’s roles in giving the organization a contract to run the Canada Student Service Grant, a deal that has since been aborted.