In a statement, Trudeau thanked Morneau for his work and expressed support for his OECD bid.
“Today I speak with Bill Morneau and accept his resignation,” the prime minister said. “Canada will strongly support its bid to lead this important global institution that will play a critical role in the global economic recovery.”
When asked why he did not have the desire to lead Canada through a pandemic, but instead could lead the OECD, Morneau said his expertise in a G-7 country government could allow him “in another way”. to help. “
“I think it’s really important for someone to be in this political role for the next period, and I think that period will be very challenging,” he said.
Morneau’s announcement came hours after a meeting with Trudeau, which was reportedly focused on its disagreements over spending on environmental programs as part of pandemic relief efforts.
But Morneau’s recent high-profile problems are central to his failure to dismiss himself from a cabinet decision offering a no-offer contract to WE Charity to manage a C $ 900 million student grant program as part of its response. the Covid-19 of the Trudeau government. He admitted last month that he had reimbursed the charity more than C $ 41,000 for expenses incurred during a trip in 2017 with his family to Ecuador just before he testified before a parliamentary committee.
Morneau’s wife and daughter, who later went to work for charity, traveled separately with WE to Kenya. He revealed to the House of Commons Finance Committee that his wife had made two donations of C $ 50,000 to the charity, including one in June.
It is unclear who will replace Morneau as finance minister, a crucial position in any government that assumes even greater importance as the Canadian economy plays out from the month-long coronavirus pandemic. Trudeau’s office declined to comment on whether the prime minister will appoint a welfare minister if a larger cabinet is re-elected.
An order in Ottawa appoints Mona Fortier, an associate finance minister with a focus on ‘middle-class prosperity,’ as acting finance minister.
Trudeau is also embroiled in the WE scandal. He also did not bow to the cabinet’s decision on the contract, despite members of his family being compensated by the group for speeches given at charitable events.
The Liberal leader defended his work on the contract next week before a parliamentary committee, saying he was trying to carry out the distinction because of possible perceptions of a conflict of interest. But he also said he regretted not resigning from the decision-making process.
Opposition rivals have called on Morneau to resign since his testimony last month. Morneau, visibly juicy by his appearance before MPs, apologized for not refusing to accept the decision to award a group contract to the group, while maintaining that he did not think he had a conflict of interest. He also said he was not aware that he was not charged for expenses made on the trip.
Just last week, Trudeau defended Morneau amid a flurry of reports of a rift between the two men, with a spokesman saying he had “full confidence” in his finance minister.
But the prime minister had also appointed Mark Carney, a veteran leader of two central banks, as a periodic adviser during the pandemic, prompting years of speculation that he intended to jump into liberal politics.
Parliamentary expert Philippe Lagassé said on Twitter that the Minister of Finance does not have to be an elected MP.
