Jody Wilson-Raybould, the former cabinet minister who accused Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of trying to influence her decision in a criminal case against engineering firm SNC-Lavalin, has confirmed she intends to run as a Liberal in the next federal election.
In a letter to constituents posted to her website March 15, Wilson-Raybould said the explosive political saga has been a “wake-up call'‘ for Canadians about the ”culture of conflict, empty partisanship and cynical games’’ that exists in Ottawa.
She said she never expected to find herself thrust into the centre of a controversy that culminated last month in her resignation from cabinet.
“I was just doing my job and I did not expect it to become a national focus.'’
Wilson-Raybould told the House of Commons justice committee that Trudeau and several members of his senior staff were part of a prolonged and co-ordinated effort to convince her to overrule a decision by the director of public prosecutions to proceed with a criminal trial against SNC-Lavalin on charges of bribery.
The justice committee and the ethics commissioner are both investigating the allegations, the RCMP have been asked to investigate and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development has expressed its concern, saying it is monitoring the investigations.
She remains a Liberal MP, as does Jane Philpott, who resigned her cabinet post March 4 saying she had lost confidence in the way the Prime Minister’s Office had handled the SNC affair. Trudeau has said he is still considering their future in the caucus. Both have already been nominated in their respective ridings by the Liberals.
A spokesman for Trudeau said Friday the prime minister has not spoken with either Wilson-Raybould or Philpott in recent days and has no comment on Wilson-Raybould’s letter.