![['<p>Bonavista-Gander-Grand Falls-Windsor MP Scott Simms.</p>']](https://saltwire.imgix.net/scott-2523591.jpg?cs=srgb&fit=crop&h=568&w=847&dpr=1&auto=format%2Ccompress%2Cenhance)
Liberal Coast of Bays-Central-Notre Dame MP Scotts Simms says he’s not ruling out calling for an inquiry into the SNC-Lavalin scandal.
On Wednesday evening, former federal attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould testified before the House of Commons judiciary committee and alleged months of political pressure from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office asking to defer prosecution against Montreal-based engineering firm SNC-Lavalin.
Prime Minister Trudeau later disputed Wilson-Raybould’s version of events, saying his recollection differs from that of his former justice minister.
Simms says he’s waiting to hear all sides of the story before deciding where he stands, but he says the allegations from Wilson-Raybould sound serious.
“As far as any pressure is concerned, what she raises is quite serious,” said Simms.
“As a party, we need to get to the bottom of it.”
On Feb. 20, the federal Liberals voted down a motion from the New Democratic Party to call a public inquiry into the allegations brought forward from Wilson-Raybould relating to what she called political pressure from the Prime Minister’s Office over litigation against SNC-Lavalin.
“As a party, we need to get to the bottom of it.” — Scott Simms
Simms voted against the motion, but says he’s “not ruling out” future calls for an inquiry, depending on how the story develops.
Simms says he voted against the call for an inquiry because they can be lengthy and expensive. He says he wants to see what the House of Commons judiciary committee comes up with before moving to the question of an Inquiry.
Simms was one of two of the seven Liberal MPs from Newfoundland and Labrador to respond to requests for comment from The Telegram on Wednesday and Thursday.
Long Range Mountains MP Gudie Hutchings declined to comment on the matter. Multiple messages left for MPs Nick Whalen, Yvonne Jones, Ken McDonald and Churence Rogers were not returned by deadline.
On Friday, Min. Seamus O'Regan's office issued a statement which, while not addressing Wilson-Raybould's allegations, shows support for Trudeau.
"I have full confidence in the Prime Minister and will absolutely be running again as a proud Liberal to continue our important work," read the statement from O'Regan.
The controversy started on Feb. 7, when The Globe and Mail first reported that Trudeau aides had tried to pressure Wilson-Raybould to intervene in prosecution against SNC-Lavalin. The Globe report alleged that Wilson-Raybould’s refusal to move to a deferred prosecution agreement between the federal government and SNC-Lavalin is the reason she was moved out of the justice portfolio in a January cabinet shuffle.
Trudeau has said the move was triggered by the resignation of former Nova Scotia MP and federal cabinet minister Scott Brison.
The initial prosecution of SNC-Lavalin started on Feb. 19, 2015, with corruption and fraud charges laid by the RCMP against SNC-Lavalin over allegations of bribery to get government business in Libya. SNC-Lavalin has stated the allegations are “without merit.”
The 2018 federal budget contained changes to the Criminal Code to allow “remediation agreements” to allow corporations to avoid criminal proceedings by making reparations. It’s alleged that such an agreement is what the Prime Minister’s Office pressured Wilson-Raybould to pursue, while she maintains she refused to defer any prosecution against SNC-Lavalin.
Since the story broke, Wilson-Raybould has resigned from the federal cabinet, with top Trudeau adviser Gerald Butts resigning his position on Feb. 18.
Butts is expected to testify to the judiciary committee in the coming days.
Twitter: @DavidMaherNL
With files from The Canadian Press
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