The prime minister still has confidence in Veterans Affairs Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould, a senior government source says, despite an explosive series of stories over the past few days appearing to indicate that the relationship has totally blown apart. Justin Trudeau has not spoken personally to Wilson-Raybould since reports emerged of her falling-out with the Prime Minister’s Office over how to handle the legal troubles of corporate giant SNC-Lavalin, the source said, but Trudeau intends to talk to her before the next cabinet meeting on Feb. 19.The PMO is assuming for now that the confidence is returned, because Wilson-Raybould has not resigned, the source said. If anonymous reports of “undue influence” on her were true, in fact, the former attorney general would have had a duty to tell the prime minister four months ago and resign if he had failed to step in. “At the end of the day, the test of undue influence is did somebody force her to take a decision she wouldn’t have otherwise taken? … The answer to that is clearly no, because it didn’t happen,” the source said. As it happens, Trudeau will be in Wilson-Raybould’s home city of Vancouver on Sunday for a Chinese New Year event, and he’s due to be accompanied by other B.C. members of the Liberal caucus. It wasn’t clear late on Saturday whether Wilson-Raybould would be among them. Speculation has been rampant this weekend that Wilson-Raybould’s future in cabinet is on shaky ground, because she has failed to deny reports of a colossal dispute with the Prime Minister’s Office, which allegedly led to her demotion from justice minister to Veterans Affairs in January. Read more: Liberals to block opposition attempt to probe SNC-Lavalin affairJody Wilson-Raybould maintains silence on SNC-Lavalin allegationsOpinion | Hébert: Jody Wilson-Raybould owes Canadians some answersThe dispute reportedly revolved around SNC-Lavalin’s eli ...
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