Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he made a mistake in not recusing himself from cabinet discussions on the WE charity and the student grant program.
Trudeau told a media conference Monday morning that he’s sorry he didn’t excuse himself from the talks given his family’s history and ties to the charity.
A potential conflict of interest with Trudeau’s decision to grant the organization the contract to administer the student program is being probed by the ethics commissioner.
Asked if he knew that family members had been paid in the past to appear at WE events, Trudeau said that he knew his brother and mother work as professional public speakers” and that “it’s not surprising that they got paid by WE.”
He says he didn’t know the exact details and he regrets he didn’t look into further.