Jody Wilson-Raybould will be allowed to testify about SNC-Lavalin, Justin Trudeau says
(The Star Toronto Raptors)

OTTAWA—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he will partially lift confidentiality obligations on his former attorney general so she can testify about allegations his office was at the centre of what the Opposition says was a “sustained effort� to influence the criminal prosecution of SNC-Lavalin.Under fire in the House of Commons for weeks, Trudeau told question period Monday that Jody Wilson-Raybould would be able to appear at the justice committee and “will be able to address relevant matters at the committee while ensuring that the two active court cases are not jeopardized.�It was not entirely clear when her long-awaited appearance will be scheduled after notice of her testimony disappeared from the committee’s public website on Monday afternoon.In a letter sent Monday to the committee, Wilson-Raybould stated that she is “anxious to appear at the first available time.�But she said that she remained constrained by what she say by solicitor-client privilege, cabinet confidence and the ongoing cases involving SNC-Lavalin still before the courts.“The government can waive solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence. I cannot, Wilson-Raybould said in her letter to Liberal MP Anthony Housefeather, chair of the committee.She said she wants to delay her testimony until “we all have whatever clarity we can have about these issues.�When she does appear, Wilson-Rabould said she wants to make an extended opening statement of about 30 minutes to provide “my best recollection of all relevant communications.�Trudeau has denied he or anyone in his office applied any inappropriate pressure on Wilson-Raybould. She has not yet spoken publicly to confirm or deny the allegation, saying she is bound by solicitor-client privilege.But the veil of secrecy will likely only be partly pulled back, because SNC-Lavalin is still facing a trial on the charges. The company has gone to a Federal Court judge to ...