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But two days later, she implied that moving Prince out of Justice was part of a plan to install a new chief of staff who would be more supportive of intervention in the SNC-Lavalin file.

On Jan. 12, as she was about to depart Bali, Wilson-Raybould texted Butts to say: “For what it is worth, I feel compelled to say — one last time — that what is being proposed is a mistake — irrespective of where I am going. There is no way to fully explain this.

“My eyes are wide open on this shift. What I know — as you must — is that there is a robust and proud record of what our government has done — through my work and that of the (Department of Justice) â¦ I stand behind this hard work and all of my decisions and legal advice.”

Butts wished her a safe trip and added: “I know this is tough but we have very good ideas to make it all work from a comms perspective. There’s an opportunity here for you to show people a side of yourself and your talent that you did not get as (minister of justice and attorney general). I really want to help. Starting with asking Jess to go with you.”

She responds with: “I guess you want me to take Jess to make room for new PMO (chief of staff) (Mathieu or elder) to support incoming PS” Â­ — apparently assuming her parliamentary secretary, Arif Virani, was going to be named justice minister and that his chief of staff would be either Mathieu Bouchard or Elder Marques Â­– senior staffers in the Prime Minister’s Office whom Wilson-Raybould has since accused of exerting inappropriate pressure on her to intervene in the SNC-Lavalin case.