It was a different sort of WE day in Ottawa, as the charity's co-founders appeared before the House finance committee. Here’s what happened.
Marc Kielburger and Craig Kielburger appear as witnesses via videoconference during a House finance committee meeting on July 28, 2020
If it weren’t for the grace, chairmanship skills and occasional shouting of Liberal MP Wayne Easter, the committee hearing could at times have turned into a brawling disaster. It was hard to miss, though, their frequent chuckling at MPs’ questions. As laughable as some of the politicking may have been, there was a constant flavour of condescension in the responses. On Craig’s face, as he extolled his own virtues, was a smirk reminiscent of Trudeau’s—a smirk, accompanied by a smize, that seemed to ask: “How dare you question my righteousness?”
The brothers clarified that they need to incorporate in every country where they operate. And under Canada Revenue Agency rules, charities can’t operate as businesses in the administration of “social enterprise,” said Craig. So they had to “build a labyrinth to adhere to Canadian laws and regulations.”
She described in March, the executive—including Marc and Craig—had not fulfilled requests for evidence, reports or data that could support their rationale for laying employees off during the pandemic. In a March 25 phone call, she alleged that Craig asked for her resignation. She gave it. Most of the rest of the board left the organization shortly thereafter, although Craig claimed in committee that this could be explained by an existing “renewal” process.
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