The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation (French: Fondation Pierre Elliott Trudeau), commonly called the Trudeau Foundation (French: Fondation Trudeau), is a Canadian charity founded in 2001 named after former Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau.
| Fondation Pierre Elliott Trudeau | |
 | |
| Formation | 2001 |
|---|---|
| Type | Charity |
| Legal status | Foundation |
| Purpose | Education |
| Headquarters | 1980 Sherbrooke Street West Suite 600 Montreal, Quebec Canada H3H 1E8 |
Official language | English and French |
Board Chair | Edward Johnson (lawyer) |
| Website | TrudeauFoundation.ca |
Donations to the charity increased when Justin Trudeau became the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, and again in 2015 when the party won the federal election.
In early 2023, most of the board of directors resigned, in light of a $200,000 donation from Chinese political strategists and billionaire Zhang Bin. The donation we reported in media simultaneous to news about Chinese political interference in Canada.
Organization
The foundation has a board of directors appointed by members. Membership control the bylaws of the organization and the board supervise charitable activities.[1]
Members include Denise Chong, Thomas Axworthy and Alexandre Trudeau, the brother of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.[2] Previous board members have included Pierre Trudeau's daughter Sarah Coyne, Chuck Strahl, Megan Leslie, Peter Lougheed and Bill Davis. Previous presidents have included Pierre-Gerlier Forest.[2]
Activities
The foundation funds research and education, including granting twenty doctoral scholarships annually. In additional to financial support, the organisation links academics up with mentors. Mentors affiliated with the foundation have included Beverly McLachlin, Louise Arbour, Anne McLellan, Pierre Pettigrew, Marie Deschamps, Thomas Cromwell, Tony Penikett, Michael Harcourt, Elizabeth May, Michael Fortier, Ed Broadbent and Frank Iacobucci.[2]
History
The foundation was founded in 2001, one year after the death of Pierre Elliot Trudeau.[2] In 2002, the Government of Canada endowed the foundation with $125 million. The organisation is obliged to not spend the endowment, but instead invest the money and use income from the investments to fund the its activities.[2]
Justin Trudeau divested his interest in the foundation in 2013 when he entered federal politics.[3] Donations to the foundation increased after 2013 when Justin Trudeau became the leader of the Liberal Party and again in 2016, after the Liberal Party won the 2015 Canadian federal election.[4] In 2015 Chinese billionaire and Chinese Communist Party advisor[5] Zhang Bin attended a Liberal Party of Canada fundraising event before pledging a $200,000 donation to the foundation.[6] The percentage of donors from foreign sources increased since 2013.[4]
In February 2023, The Globe and Mail reported on the Zhang's $200,000 donation.[7] This donation was allegedly made at the direction of the Chinese government, with the promise that the government would repay the donation, according to anonymous unconfirmed Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) sources.[7][8] The donation was allegedly accepted by then chief executive Morris Rosenberg.[9] In March 2023, Rosenberg defended acceptance of the donation by saying that Canada and China had had a better relationship at time.[10] According to the same unconfirmed CSIS sources, an additional $750,000 was donated to Pierre Trudeau's alma mater, the University of Montreal’s Faculty of Law, while $50,000 was allegedly donated for the construction of a statue at the University of Montreal. According to the unconfirmed CSIS sources, Zhang had originally requested that the statue be of both Pierre Trudeau and Mao Zedong, but the University rebuffed this proposal and a statue of only Pierre Trudeau was ultimately planned.[8][9] According to the Globe and Mail, Alexandre Trudeau attended an event commemorating the combined $1-million donation as a director and member of the foundation, with Zhang and Chinese consulate staff in attendance.[8] Allegations regarding the role of the Chinese Communist Party in directing and funding the donation were revealed as part of a series of leaks claiming to be from the CSIS regarding Chinese political interference in Canada.[7] On March 1, 2023, the foundation announced that it will return the $140,000 that it has thus far received from Zhang. The remainder of Zhang's $200,000 donation was never received.[9]
On April 11, 2023, all but three of the board of directors, including president Pascale Fournier resigned[2] citing controversy over the Zhang's donation.[3] Three directors remained in post on a temporary basis in order to meet legal minimums.[11] On April 12, day La Presse reported that other governance concerns had led to the resignations, including record keeping issues that prevented returning the $140,000 donation.[12] As a result, the board concluded that it would be "unlawful" to return the donation as they had committed to do.[12][1] On April 12, the foundation's board chair Edward Johnson said that it would comission an independent review of Zhang's donation.[6]
See also
References
- ^ a b CBC News (12 April 2023). "Controversial Trudeau Foundation donation from Beijing-linked businessman was not reimbursed". Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f Major, Darren (16 April 2023). "What is the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation and what does it do?". CBC. Archived from the original on 16 April 2023. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
- ^ a b Raycraft, Richard (12 April 2023). "Trudeau Foundation president, board resign, citing 'politicization' of China-linked donation". Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
- ^ a b Brownell, Claire; Schwartz, Zane (14 Dec 2016). "Money began to rain on Trudeau Foundation once Justin took over Liberals, analysis shows". National Post. Retrieved 2023-04-16.
- ^ "Chinese Billionaire Who Donated $1 Million to Trudeau Foundation Wanted to Build Mao Statue in Montreal". National Review. 2023-03-01. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2023-04-16.
- ^ a b "What's going on with the Trudeau Foundation? Here's what we know about the controversy that led to a mass resignation". The Toronto Star. 2023-04-12. Archived from the original on 2023-04-14. Retrieved 2023-04-16.
- ^ a b c Fife, Robert; Chase, Steven (28 February 2023). "CSIS uncovered Chinese plan to donate to Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 1 March 2023. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
- ^ a b c VanderKlippe, Nathan (28 February 2023). "Chinese donors who funded Trudeau Foundation wanted statue of Mao in Montreal". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 1 March 2023. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
- ^ a b c Fife, Robert; Chase, Steven (1 March 2023). "Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation to return donation to Chinese donor". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 2 March 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
- ^ "Former Trudeau Foundation president says Canada, China had better relationship at time of donation". National Post. The Canadian Press. 2 March 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
- ^ Passifiume, Bryan (11 April 2023). "'Politicization' blamed as Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation CEO, board step down amid Chinese donation scandal". National Post. Retrieved 2023-04-16.
- ^ a b Fife, Robert; Chase, Steven (12 April 2023). "Un-returnable Chinese donation triggered governance crisis at Trudeau foundation: report". Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
