SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. yesterday became the first corporation in Canada to be offered an out-of-court settlement under a provision cabinet wrote into the Criminal Code in 2018. Critics had denounced so-called “deferred prosecution agreements” as a get-out-of-jail card: "Ordinary Canadians would not have access to this type of plea bargain."

The Federal Court of Appeal yesterday dismissed a challenge of a 2019 ethics report on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s dealings with SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. Lawyers for Democracy Watch had claimed the investigation was too narrow in failing to cite political aides for misconduct: "The focus is on the Prime Minister."

SNC-Lavalin Group is still eligible for federal contracts under terms of its latest out-of-court settlement with federal prosecutors. The Public Prosecution Service would not disclose the text of its agreement that saw SNC-Lavalin penalized for bid-rigging: "Are you consulting SNC-Lavalin?"

The 225,000-member United Steelworkers yesterday launched campaign ads citing the SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. scandal. Steelworkers outspent every other union in third-party advertising in the last general election in 2015: "Steelworkers are disappointed."

SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. has continued to receive millions in federal contracts even as it sued the Government of Canada in an unsuccessful bid to avoid trial on bribery and fraud charges. Contracts totaling more than $15 million were awarded in six months, accounts show: "Why was SNC-Lavalin brought in?"

SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. was the only company invited to participate in a Department of Public Works review of its Government-Wide Integrity Regime, the Commons government operations committee was told yesterday. The invitation came as the company prepared for a pending trial on fraud and bribery charges: "Why was SNC-Lavalin brought in?"

The Privy Council Office yesterday disclosed it conducted confidential polling related to an out-of-court settlement with SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. months before Liberal aides sought a deal with the company. The issue polled badly: 'There were doubts about the fairness of the justice system when dealing with the rich and powerful.'

The only federal investigation of the SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. case will not be complete before Parliament adjourns for the summer, Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion yesterday told the Commons ethics committee. Dion would not commit to finishing his work before election day, October 21: "It does take time."

Attorney General David Lametti last night told the Commons he has not offered SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. any out-of-court settlement of fraud and bribery charges. Lametti said he discussed the company’s legal troubles with two aides to the Prime Minister, but “felt no pressure”.

Federal agencies including the RCMP since January 2 have awarded millions in new contracts to SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. even as government officials resigned over allegations of favouritism for the company. The Department of Public Works yesterday said the contracts were strictly routine though the firm faces trial on bribery and fraud charges: "SNC-Lavalin should be suspended."

A last chance at full public hearings on the SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. political scandal vanished last night amid Senate horse-trading. A motion to summon testimony from the Prime Minister and nine others was quietly withdrawn following a “signed agreement” between party leaders, Blacklock’s learned: "An understanding was reached."

Attorney General David Lametti sought to quash a criminal prosecution of SNC-Lavalin Group Inc., MP Jody Wilson-Raybould hints in a March 26 letter released by the Commons justice committee. Lametti has refused comment on the claim he was prepared to issue an unprecedented order to save the company from trial on fraud and bribery charges: "I simply won't go there."

The Crown prosecutor at the heart of the SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. political scandal is being honoured by a global lawyers’ group. Director of Public Prosecutions Kathleen Roussel yesterday served notice she was named a part-time director of the International Association of Prosecutors: 'Unless the Attorney General intervenes, the final decisions are mine.'

The Commons ethics committee by a 5 to 4 vote yesterday rejected hearings on the SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. political scandal. The vote by the panel’s Liberal majority followed a March 20 decision by MPs to end public hearings at the House justice committee: "You hold the majority of the votes, and we all can count."

The Liberal majority on the Commons justice committee last night served notice it will abruptly end public hearings on the SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. political scandal. The move followed the resignation of a fourth official: "No one did anything wrong, but everybody is resigning for it."