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This is quite the conundrum

This is quite the conundrum. We don’t know for certain whether Morneau ordered the sale, as opposed to someone managing his funds. We would also hesitate to suggest the tax-reform announcement was solely or directly responsible for the market drop. But the entire affair stinks. And that’s the problem. Blind trusts are used to prevent cabinet ministers from profiting from their government duties, or even appearing to do so. Had Morneau properly structured his affairs in the first place, he wouldn’t be facing these questions. Or, at least, he’d have a ready defence to offer.

Thus far, he’s had little to say at all, beyond calling the accusations absurd and daring the Conservatives to repeat their statements outside the House of Commons, where they would not be shielded from civil action by parliamentary privilege (Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre immediately complied). The prime minister has also said Morneau still enjoys his confidence. But on Thursday, Global News reported that Morneau’s father also sold off hundreds of thousands of shares just ahead of his son’s announcement about changes to the tax code. The changes would not have directly impacted the sale, so there’s no direct proof of misconduct, but again, the optics are atrocious.

Morneau had a reputation as a decent individual before entering politics. We have no reason to believe that’s changed. But at the very least, his actions have created a plausible appearance of misconduct. The situation was avoidable, and entirely of his own making. Federal revenue and spending affairs are too important to be left in the charge of a man whose own errors routinely ensnarl him in ethics scandals. Morneau defiantly sticking around is not helping the Liberals, and it’s not helping Canadians.