Canadians are raising their voices against what they see as blatant corruption at the highest levels of government. Democracy Watch, a prominent Canadian watchdog group, has called for an independent prosecutor to investigate former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s alleged interference in the SNC-Lavalin case. Could we seriously see this former Prime Minister arrested?
At a glance:
• Democracy Watch has requested an independent prosecutor to investigate Trudeau’s involvement in the SNC-Lavalin affair
• Former Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould testified she faced inappropriate pressure from Trudeau to intervene in SNC-Lavalin’s prosecution
• The RCMP is criticized for conducting a superficial investigation and not interviewing key witnesses
• SNC-Lavalin pleaded guilty to fraud in 2019 and was fined $280 million for bribery in Libya
• A retired superior court justice supports the application for prosecution, citing potential Obstruction of Justice charges
Trudeau Under Fire for Alleged Obstruction of Justice
Democracy Watch has formally requested that Ontario’s Attorney General Doug Downey appoint an independent prosecutor to investigate former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s role in the SNC-Lavalin scandal. The watchdog group alleges Trudeau attempted to pressure then-Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould to halt the prosecution of the engineering giant SNC-Lavalin, now known as AtkinsRéalis.
The scandal erupted when Wilson-Raybould testified that she faced “inappropriate pressure” from Trudeau and his officials to intervene in the criminal case against SNC-Lavalin. This testimony directly contradicted Trudeau’s claims that neither he nor his office directed the Attorney General to make any specific decisions in the matter.
Democracy Watch asks Ontario Attorney General @douglasdowney to have independent special prosecutor review evidence for prosecution of @JustinTrudeau for SNC-Lavalin scandalhttps://t.co/minis8n8NC
— Lorrie Goldstein (@sunlorrie) March 21, 2025
Democracy Watch Co-Founder Duff Conacher has been particularly critical of how the investigation has been handled. “The RCMP did a very superficial investigation into the Trudeau Cabinet’s obstruction of the prosecution of SNC-Lavalin,” Conacher stated in the group’s application for a private prosecution.
“The RCMP didn’t even interview many witnesses or try to obtain key secret Cabinet communication records, and buried the investigation with an almost two-year delay, and then made a behind-closed-doors, very questionable decision not to prosecute anyone,” he added.
RCMP Independence Questioned as Liberal MPs Block Testimony
Adding fuel to the controversy, Canadian Liberal MPs recently voted to prevent the RCMP from testifying about their handling of the SNC-Lavalin scandal. This move has been criticized as an attempt to shield Trudeau and his administration from proper scrutiny and accountability.
Democracy Watch has also raised significant concerns about the RCMP’s independence from political influence. “The RCMP lacks independence from the Prime Minister and Cabinet ministers who handpick the RCMP Commissioner and deputy commissioners and division heads through a secretive process, and they all serve at the pleasure of the Cabinet so they are vulnerable to political interference,” explained Conacher.
This perceived lack of independence may explain why the RCMP appeared to “roll over and let Trudeau off,” according to Democracy Watch’s application. The organization is now suggesting the formation of a committee of non-partisan individuals to appoint an Independent Special Prosecutor who would review all evidence against Trudeau without political interference.
A retired superior court justice has endorsed the application for prosecution, providing legal backing to Democracy Watch’s concerns. The justice cited potential charges of Obstruction of Justice and Breach of Trust that could be brought against Trudeau based on the evidence gathered during parliamentary hearings.
Meanwhile, SNC-Lavalin, the company at the center of this political chaos, pleaded guilty to fraud in 2019. The engineering firm was fined $280 million for bribing Libyan officials during Muammar el-Qaddafi’s rule, confirming the serious nature of the original charges that Trudeau allegedly tried to derail.
If Justin Trudeau is arrested, will liberals in the U.S. and Canada claim it’s a witch hunt? And in doing so, won’t they be proving that it’s possible for the judicial system to be weaponized against politicians? That’ll be interesting…
