Why all the fuss over the latest scandal involving Prime Minister Justin Trudeau?  People are shocked as if political scandals are rare.  The leaders of the opposition talk as if they and their parties are pure and have never engaged in corrupt practices.

Conflict of interest and nepotism are the basis of Prime Minister Trudeau’s scandal.  A company with ties to Trudeau got a government contract.  Trudeau’s mother, brother, and wife got work from the company.  What else is new?

I am not suggesting that Prime Minister Trudeau should not be held accountable for breaking any rules or laws.  But do not act as if this is the first political scandal in Canada, and his actions are without precedent.

The first political scandal in Canada happened with Canada’s first prime minister, Sir John A. Macdonald.  Private interests paid bribes to 150 members of the Conservative government to get the contract to build a national railway.  Ol’ Sir John A. claimed that he was innocent of any wrongdoing.  And then?  And then some receipts surfaced showing payments to Sir John A. and his fellow politicians.

What!  Ol’ Sir John A. lied?  Canada’s first prime minister lied?  Did he set the standard for future prime ministers?

Conflict of interest, bribery, and nepotism are business as usual in politics.  Let us stop pretending that they are not.

 

https://www.straight.com/finance/timing-of-trudeaus-we-charity-scandal-couldnt-be-worse-for-federal-liberals

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Scandal#:~:text=The%20scandal%20led%20to%20the,government%20led%20by%20Alexander%20Mackenzie.