Canada's former attorney general and former treasury board president have been removed from the Liberal caucus amid an ongoing scandal that has plunged the federal party into disorder.
Jody Wilson-Raybould announced in a tweet on Tuesday that she had been informed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of her removal from the caucus and that she will be unable to run in the riding as the Liberal candidate in the Vancouver Granville riding during the 2019 federal election. Jane Philpott, who resigned her position as Liberal Treasury Board president last month, was also removed from the Liberal caucus on Tuesday.
"Civil wars within parties are incredibly damaging because they signal to Canadians that we care more about ourselves than we do about them. That's why I made the difficult decision to remove Ms. Wilson-Raybould and Dr. Philpott from the Liberal caucus," said Trudeau during a press conference following the decision on Tuesday. "We've taken every effort to address their concerns."
Wilson-Raybould testified before the House of Commons justice committee at the end of February following her resignation from Trudeau's cabinet on February 12. Her testimony detailed allegations of how she had been pressured by members of the Prime Minister’s Office and other government officials to cut a deal with SNC-Lavalin, a Montreal-based company that is currently facing charges of corruption and fraud related to its work in Libya.
Philpott resigned shortly after Wilson-Raybould's testimony in the House of Commons. She said she had lost confidence in how the government has dealt with matters involving SNC-Lavalin.
More recently, Wilson-Raybould publically released a secretly recorded conversation she had with Michael Wernick, who was the Privy Council clerk at the time. During the conversation, Wernick stated that the prime minister favoured a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA), which would allow the engineering firm to avoid a criminal conviction.
Trudeau, who has continued to deny any impropriety on the part of himself or his office with regards to SNC-Lavalin, said the decision to secretly record the Privy Council clerk was "unconscionable". He added that the two former cabinet members have broken the trust of the Liberal Party.
"Whether it's taping conversations without consent, or repeatedly expressing a lack of confidence in our government and in me personally as leader, it's become clear that Ms. Wilson-Raybould and Dr. Philpott can no longer remain part of our Liberal team," he said.
In a statement on Twitter, said she intends to "take the time to reflect and talk to my supporters about what happens next."
"What I can say is that I hold my head high and that I can look myself in the mirror knowing I did what I was required to do and what needed to be done based on principles and values that must always transcend party," she said in her statement. "I have no regrets. I spoke the truth as I will continue to do."
Philpott also released a statement following the prime minister's decision, in which she said Canadians want to know the truth.
"It appears that the caucus is intent on staying the current course, regardless of its short-term and long-term consequences to the party and to the country, and it has been decided that there is no place for me in the caucus," she said.
