Here are seven scandals that marked Justin Trudeau’s time in power

Justin Trudeau has had good times and not so good times during his nine years in power. His first mandate – his only majority mandate – alone contains several notable gaffes. His two subsequent mandates will be in the minority. Here are seven scandals that have marked the Trudeau administration since 2015.

Stay on the Aga Khan Island

During the 2016 holiday season, Justin Trudeau and his family spent eight days on the Aga Khan’s private island. The Ethics Commissioner concludes that Mr. Trudeau violated the Conflict of Interest Act, a first for a serving prime minister. Mr. Trudeau apologized and explained that the Aga Khan had been a friend since childhood. This is the first real case to tarnish his image and raise questions about his judgment.

A bitter journey to India

In 2018, Justin Trudeau began a trip to India which made headlines for several (bad) reasons. First, the Indian media criticize her for her traditional outfits, perceived as clumsy and caricatured. But the Indian government is especially cooled by the presence of Jaspal Atwal, a former member of a Sikh extremist group convicted of attempted murder against an Indian minister in the 1980s, in an event organized by Liberal MP Randeep Sarai. Relations between Ottawa and New Delhi have never been the same.

SNC-Lavalin

In 2019, Ottawa was rocked by accusations of political interference in a corruption scandal involving Quebec firm SNC-Lavalin. Mr. Trudeau and his advisor Gerald Butts pressured former minister Jody Wilson-Raybould to propose an amicable agreement. After refusing, she was demoted. She then slammed the door of the government and Mr. Butts, close to Trudeau, was forced to leave.

WE Charity

In 2020, the Trudeau government awarded a $912 million no-bid contract to the WE Charity organization for the management of student scholarships. However, members of Justin Trudeau’s family, including his mother and his ex-wife, Sophie Grégoire, had already participated in the organization’s activities. The affair caused a major scandal and the Prime Minister lost his Finance Minister Bill Morneau.

Appointment of Mary Simon

In July 2021, Justin Trudeau appointed the first indigenous woman to the post of governor general in Canadian history, a strong gesture to underline his commitment to reconciliation. The nomination was much less received in Quebec and among French-speakers in Canada since M^me Simon does not speak French. Mr. Trudeau’s commitment to bilingualism has since been called into question.

Stay in Tofino

On the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, September 30, 2021, Justin Trudeau took advantage of the statutory holiday he established to take a surfing vacation in Tofino, British Columbia. His vacation was short-lived: Indigenous communities across the country rebuked the prime minister, who eventually acknowledged his mistake and offered an apology.

A green fund full of irregularities

In 2024, the Trudeau government dismantles Sustainable Development Technologies Canada (SDTC), a fund intended for the green transition active since 2001. The Auditor General found that the organization had allocated $59M to 10 projects that were not eligible and whose environmental benefits were overestimated, in addition to finding at least 90 loopholes in the rules on conflicts of interest.