Justin Trudeau's SCANDAL in numbers: Seven weeks, five resignations – and PM in CRISIS

The so-called SNC-Lavalin scandal has sent Canada’s prime minister Justin Trudeau into crisis as he struggles to contain support for his tenure. The 47-year-old prime minister’s popularity has been in sharp decline after his government was accused of putting pressure on former AG Jody Wilson-Raybould to stop pursuing a legal case against construction firm SNC-Lavalin. The Quebec-based company faces charges for bribery in Libya, posted two profit warnings for troubles in Chile and Saudi Arabia and has lost almost half its value in nine months.

The scandal entered its seventh week on Monday and has led to five resignations.

The affair has so far cost Mr Trudeau two top ministers, Canada’s top bureaucrat and his close friend and senior aide.

Mr Trudeau and his staff have been depicted as inappropriately and repeatedly pressuring Ms Wilson-Raybould to settle a corporate criminal case to protect Canadian jobs.

The 47-year-old prime minister admitted he should have known trouble was brewing between his office and that of Ms Wilson-Raybould.

READ MORE: Justin Trudeau in CRISIS: The THREE reasons Canada PM is risking CAREER for firm

Mr Trudeau told a news conference on March 7: “I can repeat and reassure Canadians that there was no breakdown of our systems, of our rule of law, of the integrity of our institutions.

“In regards to standing up for jobs and defending the integrity of law, I continue to say that there was no inappropriate pressure.”

For seven weeks the Trudeau government has also been losing a war of siege and attrition.

Not long ago, Mr Trudeau’s Liberal party was cruising while the Conservatives were languishing and the NDP’s support plummeted.

READ MORE: Justin Trudeau net worth: The STAGGERING sum Canada PM earns amid CRISIS

But a recent poll from Nanos and IPSOS shows the Liberals are at risk of falling below 30 percent support, while the Conservative have climbed to the mid 30s and NDP rebounded to 20 percent.

And now the Trudeau Liberal government isn’t just facing weeks of more damaging evidence.

Polls from yesterday showed the most likely outcome for Mr Trudeau to continue govern the country would only be with a minority government.

With the Canadian general election coming up in just seven months, the public opinion on Mr Trudeau and his party looks concerning.

Pressure is now mounting even further for Mr Trudeau to resign over the claims against himself and his aides.

Canadian MP Andrew Scheer said in an interview with CNN earlier this month: “Justin Trudeau can simply not continue govern this country now that Canadians know what he has done.”

When asked if it was feasible this could be the end of Mr Trudeau, Professor Patric James from the USC School of International Relations also told CNN: “Yes. That government can fall, Trudeau could simply resign.

“People inside the Liberal Party right now seem to be holding firm with Trudeau, but if this story as the saying goes continue to go up and have legs I think the pressure will be on him to bail out.”

source: express.co.uk