The Auditor General of Canada will not investigate private donations received by the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation, even though the foundation’s board of directors has sent her a letter asking for an audit.
Kevin Maillet, a spokesperson for the Office of the Auditor General of Canada, explained that this decision was made because of the mandate given to the Auditor General in Canadian law.
Mr. Maillet clarified that Karen Hogan can investigate any organization that receives $1 million or more in public funds, but that she does not have the authority to investigate the source of private donations or the motivations of donors.
The acting chairman of the Trudeau Foundation’s board of directors, Edward Johnson, had asked the auditor general to look into two donations made in 2016 and 2017, totaling $140,000, which came from two Chinese businessmen.
These donations have drawn attention recently for their possible ties to the Chinese government, amid broader concerns about Chinese interference in Canadian activities.
Almost all of the foundation’s board members, including its president and CEO Pascale Fournier, resigned earlier this month over what they called the “politicization” of alleged Chinese donations.
These donations, they say, have tarnished the foundation’s reputation for independent and nonpartisan work.
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