Trudeau on the defensive after co-chair resigns over controversial email

(By Cormac MacSweeney)  Federal Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau is facing tough questions after his national campaign co-chair had to resign with just days left in the election.

The last minute controversy is over an email Dan Gagnier sent to Trans-Canada, the company behind the Energy East Pipeline, with advice on how to lobby for a new government, including a Liberal minority.

“Unacceptable. Inappropriate,” is how Trudeau is describing the actions of the now former co-chair.

Initially, Trudeau’s staff defended Gagnier, but the party boss says they sat down with him, and afterwards he did the right thing and stepped down. Trudeau frames this as an act of accountability. “And we will demonstrate a level of ethics and responsibility that Canadians deserve.”

“It’s a way of demonstrating the fact that we take ethical standards and responsibilities extremely seriously.”

He adds Gagnier never advised him on energy policy but the NDP and Conservatives are jumping on this controversy saying this is reminiscent of the kind of backroom dealings that led to the sponsorship scandal.

The New Democrats are asking the Lobbying Commissioner to investigate Gagnier’s actions.