Gerald Butts, a longtime friend of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and until recently his principal secretary, gave this written statement to the House of Commons justice committee as he began testifying on his dealings with former justice minister Jody Wilson-Raybould on SNC-Lavalin. I will provide you with detailed evidence that the January Cabinet shuffle had nothing whatsoever to do with SNC-Lavalin. Former justice minister Jody Wilson-Raybould arrives to give her testimony about the SNC-LAVALIN affair before a justice committee hearing on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Feb. 27, 2019. She said Minister Wilson-Raybould was an excellent choice for Indigenous Services, but worried she would see it as a demotion. Minister Philpott then told the Prime Minister that she worried that Minister Wilson-Raybould might wonder if her move were connected to the "DPA issue."

Source: CBC News March 06, 2019 18:48 UTC