Judicial review of ethics ruling in Trudeau We Charity case to proceed

The Supreme Court of Canada says a watchdog group can pursue a court challenge of a federal ethics report on Justin Trudeau’s involvement in decisions about WE Charity.

In May 2021, then-federal ethics commissioner Mario Dion concluded that Trudeau, prime minister at the time, did not breach the Conflict of Interest Act when he participated in decisions concerning WE Charity, which operated in Canada and abroad.

The group Democracy Watch applied soon after for judicial review of Dion’s ruling in the Federal Court of Appeal.

Government lawyers argued the application should be tossed out, in part because the Conflict of Interest Act bars judicial review concerning questions of fact and law.

The Court of Appeal dismissed Democracy Watch’s application, prompting the group to take its case to the Supreme Court.

In a ruling issued today, the top court says political oversight of the commissioner was not an adequate alternative to judicial review.