WE Charity investigation, committees to reconvene by October 19

A motion to reconvene hearings by October 19 put forward by Government House Leader Pablo Rodriguez was passed. Committees on agriculture, ethics, environment, government operations, finance, public safety and human resources will all reconvene. The Special Committee on Canada-China Relations will also be brought back. The committees have been out of action since August 18.

MP and Conservative Leader of the House, Gerard Deltell (Louis-St. Laurent, Quebec) told reporters, "Canadians deserve answers to tough questions, this is what parliamentary committees are all about...Canadians need and deserve to have a real Parliament.”

The committees were shut down right after Trudeau was summoned to testify at the House of Commons finance committee over the award of a $43.5 million contract to the WE Charity, which had close ties to Trudeau and his former Finance Minister, Bill Morneau.

WE Charity paid upwards up $482k to the Trudeau family. Of that total, $67k was paid over a six month period to Trudeau's brother Alexandre. He received the money as return of fees, expenses and gifts.

One reporter asked Trudeau, "Would you allow committees to continue their work?" He responded, "right now as a government, I think Canadians want us to be focused on the next steps of the recovery."