The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has clarified that it is not currently investigating allegations of political interference in the handling of criminal charges against engineering firm SNC-Lavalin. This statement comes after a recent response to a public interest group’s request for information suggested otherwise.
In 2015, SNC-Lavalin and its affiliates were charged with corruption of a foreign public official and fraud relating to their business dealings in Libya. The company sought a special settlement, known as a remediation agreement, to avoid being banned from federal contracts for a decade if convicted.
It was reported in early 2019 that aides of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pressured Jody Wilson-Raybould, who was then the federal attorney general, to secure a deal that would prevent prosecution. Wilson-Raybould resigned from cabinet shortly after and was later removed from the Liberal caucus. The federal ethics watchdog determined in August 2019 that Trudeau had violated the Conflict of Interest Act in his handling of the matter.
The RCMP’s sensitive and international investigations unit conducted an assessment of the interference allegations. After a thorough review and collection of information from various sources, the RCMP concluded that there was insufficient evidence to support a criminal offense.
The RCMP communicated this conclusion to the original complainant in January. It should be noted that in December 2019, SNC-Lavalin Construction pleaded guilty to fraud and agreed to pay a $280-million penalty and be placed on probation for three years. The remaining charges were dropped.
Overall, the RCMP has stated that it conducted its assessment in an objective and professional manner, considering all available information.
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