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Morneau’s high-handed response to the crisis enveloping him — and he seems to be the only one who doesn’t get it — reveals a man who believes it is always important that in all situations he must earn money from his money.

As we now know, for over two years Morneau used a loophole in the Conflict of Interest Act to hang on to about $20 million in shares of his inherited company, Morneau Shepell.

He held the shares while he tabled Bill C-27. That bill weakens Canadians’ pensions. But it could profit owners of pension management and actuarial companies, including Morneau Shepell.

In the two years since becoming finance minister, Morneau’s shares earned $165,000 a month in dividends and $5 million in capital gains from increased stock price.

It certainly has the appearance of conflict of interest yet was never flagged by the “ethical screen” Morneau set up for himself.

The response has been to erect a wall of talking points to staunch the growing realization this is a government of, for and by rich guys. A top talking points deflects to their fake “middle class tax cut” (we’ll come back to that point).

Trudeau hasn’t plugged the loophole — as ethics commissioner Mary Dawson previously recommended.

Meanwhile, Morneau tried to escape scandal with a get-out-of-jail-free card — agreeing to donate the profits from the sale of his shares to charity. A gift of that size could pay out over a million dollar tax deduction. So not all is a loss, Bill.