WE Charity creates 450 volunteer positions using Trudeau government contract

The controversial WE Charity created 450 online student-volunteer positions at its own organization so to help the $900 million Trudeau government contract, according to the Globe and Mail.

This decision is significant as it allegedly darkens the distinction between volunteering work and paid work. This program, for instance, pays students $10 an hour—well below the minimum wages in this country.

As well as this, questions may arise over the morality of a charity creating 450 online jobs that are paid for by a government contract given to the same charity to facilitate.

In their roles working for the WE Charity, students who receive these placements will make $1,000 for every 100 hours of service up to a maximum of $5,000.

The Trudeau government's decision to award the WE Charity this money has been met with some criticism. It is unclear, for instance, why Canada's civil service could not perform this work.

Similarly, the Trudeau family has a good relationship with the charity and its founders. Trudeau's wife, for example, hosts a WE Charity podcast, Justin Trudeau has made appearances at Me to We events, and one of the charity's founders, Craig Kielburger, donated to Justin Trudeau's leadership campaign.

The prime minister is continuing to defend the government's decision, asserting that the WE Charity will not be making a profit from this contract and that they are the only organization who were up to the task.

Shadow Finance Minister Pierre Poilievre commented on the WE Charity's contract on twitter, saying that "the Liberals would be wise to cancel the billion-dollar WE gift now."

"Otherwise this scandal grows and could engulf them," he added ominously.