Liberals open to rule changes if SNC convicted: Champagne

Michelle Zadikian, BNN Bloomberg

Infrastructure & Communities Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne speaks to BNN Bloomberg on Mar. 27, 2019. , BNN Bloomberg

Ottawa is keeping the possibility of changing the laws to allow SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. to continue bidding on federal contracts despite any potential criminal convictions.

Infrastructure minister François-Philippe Champagne told BNN Bloomberg in an interview Wednesday all options are on the table, but it comes down to the public’s best interest.

“That’s something we’d have to consider,” he said when asked about potential changes to rules governing federal contract bids.

“SNC-Lavalin is the largest construction and engineering company in Canada. So when you’re looking at the big picture, you have to see what would be the impact of that – what would that mean when it comes to big infrastructure projects that are going on in Canada. So I think we’ll have to reflect.”

SNC-Lavalin is facing a trial over alleged bribes made to the Libyan government between 2001 and 2011. At present, a criminal conviction would be accompanied by a 10-year ban on bidding for federal infrastructure project contracts.

Ottawa has been ensnared in a political firestorm in the wake of allegations made by former Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould that she was inappropriately pressured to settle the charges with SNC. The Trudeau Liberals have denied those claims – adding any conversations related to SNC’s case were to help protect the company’s 9,000 Canadian jobs.

Champagne, who is also a lawyer, says what matters to Canadians is that the wrong-doers pay for their crimes.

What he doesn’t want to see, he said, are pensioners, current SNC employees and suppliers getting caught up in the situation.

“Let’s get after the folks who have committed wrongs, but let’s make sure we don’t impact in a way that people who have nothing to do with it, or for example, end up having less competition in the market. So we need to balance that when we look at the national interest,” he said.

Champagne says Canada will look at all the options on the table, and make choices consistent with global norms.

“Look at what other OECD countries would do and just align ourselves,” Champagne said of Canada’s approach. “We don’t want to be a business environment that is less competitive than anyone else. We want to be forceful when it comes to white collar crime because that’s what Canadians would expect from us and that’s what we believe in as a country of the rule of law.”

“That’s why investors come to Canada – because of stability, predictability and rule of law. At the same time, we have to look at the remedies.”