Conservative MPs blast Trudeau Liberal 'cover-up campaign' on WE Charity, military sexual assaults

Conservative Shadow Ethics Minister Michael Barrett and House Opposition Leader Gérard Deltell penned a letter on Thursday attacking the Trudeau government for engaging in an alleged "cover-up campaign" regarding the WE Charity scandal and reports of sexual assaults in the military.

"As we have seen time and time again, the Trudeau Liberals will go to great lengths to hide the truth from Canadians," the letter reads. "This includes shutting down Parliament during a pandemic."

The pair followed by accusing the Liberals of coordinating a "cover-up campaign to block witnesses from testifying on both Trudeau’s WE scandal and sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces.

"The simple fact is the Liberals don't want these key witnesses to tell Canadians what they know," they asserted. "They don't want the truth to get out."

The letter references an opposition motion introduced by MP Barrett demanding that various government officials testify before the Ethics Committee to address the scandals.

Regarding the WE Charity scandal and the resulting conflict of interest investigation, Barrett's motion demands that Trudeau's Director of Policy and Cabinet Affairs Rick Theis, Chrystia Freeland policy advisor Amitpal Singh, and senior advisor to Trudeau Ben Chin appear before the ethics committee in late March and early April.

The motion also demands, in regard to the military sexual assault allegations, that former Chief of Staff to the Minister of National Defence Zita Astravas, who is now the Chief of Staff to Public Safety Minister Bill Blair, testify before the committee as well.

The motion calls upon Prime Minister Trudeau himself to testify before the committee if the called upon staff do not.

"The Trudeau government's coordinated cover-up of sexual misconduct and corruption must end," Barrett and Deltell wrote. "Conservatives will continue to take action against the Liberal cover-up and get answers for Canadians."