It’s a claim that would be called shocking if it were true. The trouble for those spreading the claim online is that it is false.
Fake news.
A meme being circulated on Twitter and elsewhere reads “Meet RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki.”
“Brenda is married to Bill Morneau’s cousin, and was directly appointed to her position, by Justin Trudeau.”
The meme then goes on to link the relationship to how the Mounties are handling the SNC-Lavalin affair.
Trouble is, both Lucki and Morneau say they aren’t related at all.
“The commissioner’s husband is not related to Finance Minister Bill Morneau,” said RCMP spokesman Daniel Brien.
Morneau’s campaign responded to a similar inquiry with a blunt statement about claims the two are related.
“These allegations are false,” reads an email from Morneau’s election campaign team.
The implication from those spreading the meme is that the RCMP have gone light on the Liberals because of a personal relationship. With both sides saying they aren’t related, it should put the matter to rest — but may not in a world where false claims can survive online long after they have been debunked.
The claim that Lucki was appointed RCMP commissioner by Trudeau is completely accurate but appointing the top cop at the RCMP is a standard duty for any prime minister.
Copyright Postmedia Network Inc., 2019
