Lee Berthiaume

Reporter for The Canadian Press

293 Articles

WE details thousands in fees for Trudeaus

The WE organization has paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in speaking fees to members of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's family, it acknowledged on Thursday, July 9, 2020, as organizations that need volunteers awaited word of the future of a $900-million program WE was to run.

Coronavirus in Canada

By Lee Berthiaume | News, Politics | July 9th 2020

Federal website advertising hundreds of student-volunteer positions that don't exist

The federal website advertising volunteer positions for students hoping to earn money for their educations through a $900-million government aid program contains hundreds of positions that do not actually exist.

Coronavirus in Canada

By Lee Berthiaume | News, Politics | July 9th 2020

Auditor calls on Feds to step up recovery of $2.4B in unpaid student loans

Canada's auditor general has called for the federal government to step up its recovery of outstanding student loans to keep taxpayers from being left on the hook after discovering that $2.4 billion in such loans were in default last year.

By Lee Berthiaume | News, Politics | July 9th 2020

COVID-19 battered Canadian charities

The federal Liberal government is facing increasingly desperate pleas for assistance from Canadian charities and non-profit groups as some of the country's best-known and largest organizations say they are struggling to survive because of COVID-19.

By Lee Berthiaume | News, Politics | July 8th 2020

Opposition parties at odds over federal spending as Liberals prepare fiscal snapshot

Opposition parties have laid out their demands for the federal Liberal government as Ottawa prepares to update Canadians on the country's finances after four months of COVID-19 — and where it expects the economy to head for the rest of the year.

Coronavirus in Canada

By Lee Berthiaume | News, Politics | July 6th 2020

Canadian and UN flags, Canadian soldier's uniform,

Latvia-bound troops turn around, return to Canada due to COVID-19 scare

A military plane carrying Canadian troops to Latvia was forced to turn around and return home because of concerns those on board might have been exposed to COVID-19.

Coronavirus in Canada

By Lee Berthiaume | News, Politics | July 6th 2020

police officer, fence, Rideau Hall, Ottawa,

Military member arrested after truck rammed gate near Trudeau residence

A member of the Canadian Armed Forces has been arrested after someone rammed a truck through the gates of Rideau Hall and drove up the path toward the official residences that house Gov. Gen. Julie Payette and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau before being stopped by police.

By Lee Berthiaume | News, Politics | July 3rd 2020

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, harvests, broccoli, Ottawa Food Bank Farm, Canada Day,

Tories ask watchdog to review contracts between Ottawa, WE Charity

The federal Conservatives have asked Canada's procurement watchdog to review the circumstances around several sole-sourced contracts between the Liberal government and WE Charity, including its administration of a $900-million federal program for students.

Coronavirus in Canada

By Lee Berthiaume | News, Politics | July 3rd 2020

Marc Kielburger, Toronto, Order of Canada, Governor General Michaelle Jean,

Kielburger says he "misspoke" when he said Trudeau's office contacted WE about $900M program

One of the co-founders of WE Charity says he "misspoke" when he told youth leaders that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's staff reached out in April to see if the organization would administer what became a $900-million federal student-aid program.

Coronavirus in Canada

By Lee Berthiaume | News, Politics | July 2nd 2020

Women, children, al-Hol camp,Hasakeh province, Syria,

Rights group blasts Ottawa for not helping detained suspected ISIL members

The federal government has been accused of violating its international human rights obligations by refusing to help dozens of Canadian men, women and children detained in squalid camps in Syria because of their suspected links to the Islamic State.

By Lee Berthiaume | News, Politics | June 29th 2020