TORONTO —
Bill Morneau, Canada’s finance minister, is stepping down amid the ongoing scandal of accepting gifts from WE Charity and rumours of a growing rift with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Morneau, who has held the post for five years, announced his resignation Monday evening in a press conference from Ottawa. He will give up both his cabinet role and his seat as member of Parliament for Toronto Centre.
He announced he will make a bid to become secretary general of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Morneau said he told Trudeau he wasn’t going to run in the next federal election and that he only ever intended to serve in two governments. He said now is the “right time for a new finance minister” to manage a “long and uncertain” recovery as Canada rebuilds from the economic downturn brought on by COVID-19.
Morneau denied he was asked to quit or was otherwise forced out. Instead, he said that he had come to the conclusion he was no longer the “most appropriate person” for the job of finance minister because he wasn’t going to be there for the long haul.
He also dismissed speculation of strife between he and the prime minister leading to his decision to quit. He said his relationship with Trudeau was built on “vigorous discussion and debate” but that always led to better policy. Serving as finance minister was “the work of a lifetime for me,” said Morneau.
He said his relationship with Trudeau was built on “vigorous discussion and debate” but that it always led to better policy. Serving as finance minister was “the work of a lifetime for me,” said Morneau.
In a statement, Trudeau said Morneau “worked relentlessly to support all Canadians and create a resilient, fair economy that benefits everyone.”
He said Canada would “vigorously support” his bid to lead the OECD.
“I want to thank Bill for everything he has done to improve the quality of life of Canadians and make our country a better and fairer place to live. I have counted on his leadership, advice, and close friendship over the years and I look forward to that continuing well into the future. Bill, you have my deepest gratitude and I know you will continue making great contributions to our country and for Canadians in the years to come.”
Canadian business leaders also thanked Morneau and his “commitment to sound public policy over the past five years in extremely challenging circumstances,” and expressed support for his OECD bid, in a statement by Goldy Hyder, president and chief executive of the Business Council of Canada.
But opposition parties wasted no time taking aim at Trudeau.
Bill Morneau’s “resignation” is further proof of a government in chaos.
At a time when Canadians are worried about their health and their finances , Justin Trudeau’s government is so consumed by scandal that Trudeau has amputated his right hand to try and save himself. 1/3
Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said Trudeau was “scapegoating” his hand-picked finance minister.
“At a time when Canadians are worried about their health and their finances, Justin Trudeau’s government is so consumed by scandal that Trudeau has amputated his right hand to try and save himself,” he tweeted.
“In the middle of a financial crisis, Justin Trudeau has lost his Finance Minister,” tweeted NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. “Every time he gets caught breaking ethics laws, he makes someone else take the heat. That’s not leadership.”
Canadians need a government that is focussed on helping them
Not on their own scandals
In the middle of a financial crisis, Justin Trudeau has lost his Finance Minister
Every time he gets caught breaking ethics laws, he makes someone else take the heat
Reports have swirled for weeks that Trudeau and Morneau were at odds over the charity scandal, environmental initiatives, and pandemic relief spending. Morneau has been in the crosshairs of opposition parties since the WE Charity scandal broke last month.
Last Tuesday, the Prime Minister’s Office issued a statement saying the prime minister had “full confidence” in Morneau.
WE Charity, which was granted a contract worth up to $43.5 million to deliver a now-cancelled $912-million student grant program, partly paid for two trips for Morneau’s family members to Kenya and Ecuador, including one trip he took part in himself.
Morneau said he made an “error” and intended to cover the cost of the trips. He then cut a cheque for $41,000.
Canada’s ethics commissioner is now investigating both Morneau and Trudeau for not recusing themselves from decision-making around the contract, given their family connections to WE Charity.
NDP ethics critic Charlie Angus said it was “absolutely clear” Trudeau needed to change the focus ahead of the ethics commissioner’s report. He noted that Trudeau had done “a very good job” of reassuring Canadians during the pandemic, but got sidetracked by the WE scandal.
“This has really damaged the prime minister. They’re trying to find a way to put a Band-Aid on it, so they’re using the dog days of August. But the fact that a finance minister in the biggest economic crisis in a century has to walk the plank … we’re in uncharted territory here,” said Angus.
“It’s about the prime minister’s judgment, it’s about the people he surrounds himself with.”
Lori Williams, a political science professor at Mount Royal University in Calgary, told CTV News Channel that the resignation is a case of Morneau “falling on his sword for the sake of the party and for the government.”
She said it’s possible a deal has been struck in which Morneau can take on a role with the government down the road. But his removal won’t be enough for a “reset” for the government. The next step — finding a replacement — will be crucial, she says.
Speculation will now begin about who will take Morneau’s place, but there has been plenty of talk that former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney, who has been seen as a highly coveted potential politician, has had the ear of Trudeau about the best course for economic recovery.
Williams says it’s “tricky” to appoint a cabinet minister who hasn’t been elected to Parliament, but it has happened before.
Political analyst Michael Geoghegan called the announcement a “bombshell” and said there are two main ways Trudeau might fill Morneau’s position.
“If Trudeau is going to look at a Mark Carney, he’s got a riding Mark can run in, and at the same time, he can as prime minister, appoint him directly as minister of finance,” Geoghegan told CTV News Channel.
“The other more conventional scenario that has been discussed is taking a cabinet member like Chrystia Freeland and putting her in as finance minister. Certainly this is a significant shake-up to the Trudeau government.”
Sources told CTV News, however, that Mark Carney will not be taking over as finance minister.
Morneau, who grew up in Toronto and holds a masters of economics degree and an MBA, led human resources firm Morneau Shepell, founded by his family, between 1990 and 2015. He is married to Nancy McCain, whose family owns McCain Foods.
He was the first political rookie to take on the crucial finance minister role since 1919.
This is not the first time Morneau has come under fire for ethics issues. In 2017 he faced criticism and questioning over using an ethics loophole to not put his assets in a blind trust after becoming a minister, which the then-ethics commissioner cleared him on; as well as for not disclosing a family villa in France.
Conservative strategist Jamie Ellerton told CTV News Channel that the PM “savaged his finance minister over the past couple of weeks” with “constant leaks” aimed at destroying his credibility and reputation that forced him to resign.
He said there is “political blood in the water” and that opposition parties will be even more focused on hammering the Liberals over the WE Charity scandal.
GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Canada’s Marina Stakusic fell 6-4, 6-3 to Poland’s Magdalena Frech in the quarterfinals of the Guadalajara Open tennis tournament on Friday.
The 19-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., won 61 per cent of her first-serve points and broke on just one of her six opportunities.
Stakusic had upset top-seeded Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (0) on Thursday night to advance.
In the opening round, Stakusic defeated Slovakia’s Anna Karolína Schmiedlová 6-2, 6-4 on Tuesday.
The fifth-seeded Frech won 62 per cent of her first-serve points and converted on three of her nine break point opportunities.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
TORONTO – Alejandro Kirk’s long single with the bases loaded provided the Toronto Blue Jays with a walk-off 4-3 win in the 11th inning of their series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday.
With the Cardinals outfield in, Kirk drove a shot off the base of the left-field wall to give the Blue Jays (70-78) their fourth win in 11 outings and halt the Cardinals’ (74-73) two-game win streak before 30,380 at Rogers Centre.
Kirk enjoyed a two-hit, two-RBI outing.
Erik Swanson (2-2) pitched a perfect 11th inning for the win, while Cardinals reliever Ryan Fernandez (1-5) took the loss.
Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman enjoyed a seven-inning, 104-pitch outing. He surrendered his two runs on nine hits and two walks and fanned only two Cardinals.
He gave way to reliever Genesis Cabrera, who gave up a one-out homer to Thomas Saggese, his first in 2024, that tied the game in the eighth.
The Cardinals started swiftly with four straight singles to open the game. But they exited the first inning with only two runs on an RBI single to centre from Nolan Arendao and a fielder’s choice from Saggese.
Gausman required 28 pitches to escape the first inning but settled down to allow his teammates to snatch the lead in the fourth.
He also deftly pitched out of threats from the visitors in the fifth, sixth and seventh thanks to some solid defence, including Will Wagner’s diving stop, which led to a double play to end the fifth inning.
George Springer led off with a walk and stole second base. He advanced to third on Nathan Lukes’s single and scored when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. knocked in his 95th run with a double off the left-field wall.
Lukes scored on a sacrifice fly to left field from Spencer Horwitz. Guerrero touched home on Kirk’s two-out single to right.
In the ninth, Guerrero made a critical diving catch on an Arenado grounder to throw out the Cardinals’ infielder, with reliever Tommy Nance covering first. The defensive gem ended the inning with a runner on second base.
St. Louis starter Erick Fedde faced the minimum night batters in the first three innings thanks to a pair of double plays. He lasted five innings, giving up three runs on six hits and a walk with three strikeouts.
ON DECK
Toronto ace Jose Berrios (15-9) will start the second of the three-game series on Saturday. He has a six-game win streak.
The Cardinals will counter with righty Kyle Gibson (8-6).
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
CALGARY – Mired in their first four-game losing skid in 20 years, the Calgary Stampeders are going back to Jake Maier at quarterback on Saturday after he was benched for a game.
It won’t be an easy assignment.
Visiting McMahon Stadium are the Eastern Conference-leading Montreal Alouettes (10-2) who own the CFL’s best record. The Stampeders (4-8) have fallen to last in the Western Conference.
“Six games is plenty of time, but also it is just six games,” said Maier. “We’ve got to be able to get on the right track.”
Calgary is in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2004.
“I do still believe in this team,” said Stampeders’ head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson. “I want to see improvement, though. I want to see guys on a weekly basis elevating their game, and we haven’t been doing that.”
Maier is one of the guys under the microscope. Two weeks ago, the second-year starter threw four interceptions in a 35-20 home loss to the Edmonton Elks.
After his replacement, rookie Logan Bonner, threw five picks in last week’s 37-16 loss to the Elks in Edmonton, the football is back in Maier’s hands.
“Any time you fail or something doesn’t go your way in life, does it stink in the moment? Yeah. But then the days go on and you learn things about yourself and you learn how to prepare a little bit better,” said Maier. “It makes you mentally tougher.”
Dickenson wants to see his quarterback making better decisions with the football.
“Things are going to happen, interceptions will happen, but try to take calculated risks, rather than just putting the ball up there and hoping that we catch it,” said Dickenson.
A former quarterback himself, he knows the importance of that vital position.
“You cannot win without good quarterback play,” Dickenson said. “You’ve got to be able to make some plays — off-schedule plays, move-around plays, plays that break down, plays that aren’t designed perfectly, but somehow you found the right guy, and then those big throws where you’re taking that hit.”
But it’s going to take a team effort, and that includes the club’s receiving corp.
“We always have to band together because we need everything to go right for our receivers to get the ball,” said Nik Lewis, the Stampeders’ receivers coach. “The running back has to pick up the blitz, the o-line has to block, the quarterback has to make the right reads, and then give us a catchable ball.”
Lewis brings a unique perspective to this season’s frustrations as he was a 22-year-old rookie in Calgary in 2004 when the Stamps went 4-14 under coach Matt Dunigan. They turned it around the next season and haven’t missed the playoffs since.”
“Thinking back and just looking at it, there’s just got to be an ultimate belief that you can get it done. Look at Montreal, they were 6-7 last year and they’ve gone 18-2 since then,” said Lewis.
Montreal is also looking to rebound from a 37-23 loss to the B.C. Lions last week. But for head coach Jason Maas, he says his team’s mindset doesn’t change, regardless of what happened the previous week.
“Last year when we went through a four-game losing streak, you couldn’t tell if we were on a four-game winning streak or a four-game losing streak by the way the guys were in the building, the way we prepared, the type of work ethic we have,” said Maas. “All our standards are set, so that’s all we focus on.”
While they may have already clinched a playoff spot, Alouettes’ quarterback Cody Fajardo says this closing stretch remains critical because they want to finish the season strong, just like last year when they won their final five regular-season games before ultimately winning the Grey Cup.
“It doesn’t matter about what you do at the beginning of the year,” said Fajardo. “All that matters is how you end the year and how well you’re playing going into the playoffs so that’s what these games are about.”
The Alouettes’ are kicking off a three-game road stretch, one Fajardo looks forward to.
“You understand what kind of team you have when you play on the road because it’s us versus the world mentality and you can feel everybody against you,” said Fajardo. “Plus, I always tend to find more joy in silencing thousands of people than bringing thousands of people to their feet.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
