Information & Ethics Committee on May 3rd, 2023

[Ryan Turnbull, Liberal, Whitby, ON]

Thanks, Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Trudeau, for being here. I've listened intently to your testimony today.

I wanted to take a little bit of a different approach because I have a personal connection with the Trudeau foundation through my very best friend growing up.

He is a Métis-Cree individual who experienced intergenerational trauma, struggled with addiction, went through a cycle of homelessness and committed petty theft and crimes. He went to jail and hit rock bottom. He eventually got into a rehab program and started turning his life around. He went back to school. He earned a B.A., a master's degree and a Ph.D. He also became the bestselling author of a book called From the Ashes.

He was significantly helped by the Trudeau foundation. He's a Trudeau scholar. His name is Jesse Thistle, and he said, “Once I won the Trudeau scholarship, I went, 'Oh, my life is going to change now'”.

I think it's important that the charitable work of this foundation continue because it does deep, meaningful and impactful work, and it always has.

What do you see as the path forward?

[Alexandre Trudeau]

The governance crisis, the management crisis, is over. Our inquiry is launched.

There's an inquiry into the staff turnover. We know there was some turnover, but there were serious management issues under our former president. That inquiry needs to be done. These are all distractions from things like the work Jesse Thistle has done, which I know well.

These are extraordinary people. Ask anyone who has dealt with them. As I say, they make us proud to be Canadian. I know they're focused. You don't get a Trudeau foundation scholarship if you don't have terrific dedication and discipline.

Nonetheless, the very notion that the scholarship they're so proud to receive has been impugned unfairly is why I'm here today.

I encourage them to keep their heads up and do the work. It is the work of reason, and the work of reason is the work of the just society that I think we can all get behind here, regardless of what party we're from. The intellectual work in this country is the best of our country.

[Ryan Turnbull, Liberal, Whitby, ON]

I couldn't agree with you more on that. I think it is a gross injustice that we're dragging the Trudeau foundation through the mud for partisan gain. That's a shame.

Thank you for being here today. I hope that the foundation continues its work.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

Thank you, Mr. Turnbull.

That concludes today's testimony.

Mr. Trudeau, on behalf of the committee and on behalf of Canadians, I want to thank you for coming today.

I also want to thank our clerk for putting all of this together, as well as our analysts and our technicians.

Members of the committee, have a good weekend coming up. This is the last committee meeting this week.

The meeting is now adjourned.