RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme rejected Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre’s allegation that the force’s leadership is “despicable” and covering up for former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, particularly in the SNC-Lavalin affair.
“I think we’ve talked about essence quite a lot under the previous government, and I think it was clear that there’s no interference. I don’t take any orders from any political individual,” he said in an interview, then invited Poilievre to meet “the people who run this great organization.”
Duheme spoke at an RCMP detachment event in Toronto hosted by Prime Minister Mark Carney, who reiterated a campaign promise to hire more than 1,000 new RCMP personnel.
Poilievre’s comments came in a YouTube interview where he said that if the RCMP had been doing its job and not covering up for Trudeau, “then he would have been criminally charged,” adding that the RCMP leadership is “despicable when it comes to enforcing laws against the Liberal government.”
He further cited Trudeau’s 2016 vacation with the Aga Khan and said the former prime minister “probably” broke the law in the SNC-Lavalin issue.
On the 2016 vacation, the RCMP under then-commissioner Brenda Lucki examined possible fraud charges but did not proceed due to a nuance in the Criminal Code that allows gifts with written consent from the head of government. As prime minister, Trudeau could theoretically provide that consent. The trip was separately reviewed by then-ethics commissioner Mary Dawson, who found four breaches of the Conflict of Interest Act and said they could have been avoided had Trudeau consulted her office beforehand.
Internal RCMP documents released in 2022 noted that if the ethics commissioner had determined a Criminal Code offence, she would have been required to notify authorities. The RCMP wrote that “it can be reasonably inferred” Dawson did not believe a Criminal Code violation occurred. The force has repeatedly said there was insufficient evidence to lay charges in the SNC-Lavalin matter.
In 2019, the ethics commissioner concluded Trudeau contravened Section 9 of the Conflict of Interest Act through “flagrant attempts to influence” then-justice minister Jody Wilson-Raybould regarding a deferred prosecution agreement for SNC-Lavalin, which has since rebranded to AtkinsRéalis.
But in 2023, RCMP said in a statement that its sensitive and international investigations unit assessed the SNC file, gathered information from multiple sources, and “examined the matter in the most thorough, objective and professional manner.” Duheme said he was “very comfortable” with the decision not to pursue criminal charges, while noting challenges accessing cabinet confidences.
Brian Sauvé, president of the National Police Federation, said he has seen no political interference, adding that the members and leadership of the RCMP “take their responsibilities seriously and operate with professionalism and integrity.”
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