Opinion
Lessons from SNC-Lavalin: prosecute business executives, not companies
By CCF MP Erin Weir June 3, 2019
Few in the political arena have tried to learn lessons from this episode to strengthen governance going forward. Particularly given recent allegations against Bombardier, we should strengthen the prosecution of business executives and the attorney general’s independence.
If we wish to stop corporate corruption without undermining leading Canadian companies, we should focus on prosecuting the people within those enterprises who commit crimes. DPAs with corporations could support this approach by requiring independent oversight of their internal activities, writes CCF MP Erin Weir. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Corruption allegations against two of Canada’s largest companies, SNC–Lavalin and now Bombardier, have important implications for the prosecution of corporate crime. We should put more emphasis on prosecuting business executives rather than whole companies and make the attorney general an independent office, separate from the minister of justice.
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