Roundup: The OECD is watching

Posted on by

Because the Double-Hyphen Affair continues to roll along, the news yesterday was that the OECD is keeping an eye on the proceedings around the SNC-Lavalin prosecution, given that our anti-bribery rules are part of a concerted OECD effort to stamp out the practice, and much of the language in our laws – including the Criminal Code provisions around deferred prosecutions – contain OECD language. And lo, suddenly everyone was bemoaning this international attention, and it was a sign that we were all the more suspect, and so on. Err, except the OECD doesn’t have any regulatory jurisdiction over Canada, and they’re monitoring the processes ongoing already in Canada. You know, the ones that are examining the very issue. Almost as though the system is working.

On a related note, it was revealed that SNC-Lavalin signed a confidential deal with the government days after the Throne Speech in 2015, that allowed them to keep bidding on federal contracts while they would subject themselves to compliance monitoring for their ethical obligations, at their own expense. I’m not sure that we can consider this something nefarious, but certainly an acknowledgment that they were aware of their issues and were taking steps to deal with them in advance of any prosecution.

In today’s punditry on the matter, Matt Gurney suspects that the international attention will be harder for this government to shake off. Chantal Hébert details the coming crunch time for the main players in this whole Affair. Vicky Mochama writes that if we try to treat Jody Wilson-Raybould, Jane Philpott, and Celina Caesar-Chavannes as paragons of virtue out of a sense of gender essentialism, that we diminish the action and rhetoric of women politicians.

Good reads:

  • Here’s a look ahead at the budget next week, and how recent economic numbers could affect what’s in it. Here’s what corporate Canada is asking for in it.
  • Marc Garneau says there’s no cause to ground any Boeing 737 Max 8 planes in Canada following the crash in Ethiopia.
  • Unsurprisingly, remediation agreements were flagged as a “hot issue” in David Lametti’s briefing binder when he was shuffled into the justice minister portfolio.
  • The federal government announced a review of the Official Languages Act, fifty years after it was first implemented.
  • Questions are being raised as to why a Canadian visa officer in Hong Kong denied permanent residency forms to three Huawei employees.
  • Current and former Black RCMP members say they have been subjected to racism from their colleagues.
  • Some 40 percent of Parks Canada’s assets and real estate holdings are in poor condition, lack accessibility, and need hardening against climate change.
  • Apparently Omar Khadr used part of his settlement money to buy a strip mall in Edmonton, and that is getting all of his critic riled up.
  • Liberal women backbenchers deny there was any coordinated effort to praise the prime minister over the weekend after Celina Caesar-Chavannes’ comments.
  • A failed Conservative candidate from the last election and his official agent have been charged with stealing campaign funds.
  • Jagmeet Singh has named Alexandre Boulerice as the party’s new deputy leader in a bid to regain their Quebec fortunes.
  • Here’s another longread about Rachel Notley’s time as premier, as the province prepares to go to an election.
  • Marc Mancini talks about the problem with governments constantly fobbing off hard decisions to former Supreme Court justices (like they do with current ones).
  • Andrew Coyne is dubious about the proposed changes to Ontario’s healthcare system, noting that they are getting the basics backwards.

Want more Routine Proceedings? Become a patron and get exclusive new content.