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WE Charity scandal

The WE Charity scandal was a Canadian political controversy in 2020 over the federal government’s decision to have WE Charity administer the Canada Student Service Grant program.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

The WE Charity scandal was a Canadian political controversy in 2020 over the federal government’s decision to have WE Charity administer the Canada Student Service Grant program. The dispute focused on the charity’s ties to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s family and former finance minister Bill Morneau, and it led to ethics investigations, committee hearings, and the cancellation of the program.

Background

WE Charity, founded by Craig and Marc Kielburger, was known for youth-oriented programming and large public events such as WE Day. Before the scandal, it had significant public visibility in Canada and abroad.

The student grant contract

In 2020, the federal government announced that WE Charity would administer the Canada Student Service Grant, a program connected to about C$900 million in planned spending. The arrangement was a major source of criticism because it was awarded without a competitive process.

Political controversy and investigations

The decision drew scrutiny because WE Charity had connections to Justin Trudeau’s family, and media reports said family members had received payments for speaking at WE events. The federal ethics commissioner opened investigations, and parliamentary committees examined the decision-making process.

Cancellation and aftermath

WE Charity withdrew from the program, and the federal government abandoned the grant scheme. The organization later announced it was winding down its Canadian operations, while Parliament later discussed reforms to federal contracting and ethics oversight.

Key facts

  • The controversy began after the Liberal government chose WE Charity to administer a federal student volunteer grant program.
  • Opposition parties questioned the decision because members of Trudeau’s family had received speaking fees from WE-related events.
  • Ethics commissioner investigations examined whether Trudeau and Morneau should have recused themselves from discussions involving the program.
  • The government later cancelled the Canada Student Service Grant program.
  • WE Charity said it was winding down its operations in Canada after the scandal.
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Canadian context

The scandal was a major Canadian political ethics controversy involving the federal government, Parliament, and public debate about conflicts of interest and contracting rules.

Frequently asked questions

What was the WE Charity scandal?
It was a 2020 Canadian political controversy over the government’s decision to let WE Charity run the Canada Student Service Grant program.
Why was it controversial?
Critics said the charity had close ties to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s family, raising conflict-of-interest concerns about the contract.
What happened to the grant program?
WE Charity withdrew from the arrangement, and the federal government later cancelled the program.
Were there official investigations?
Yes. The federal ethics commissioner examined the matter, and parliamentary committees also reviewed the decision.
Did the scandal affect WE Charity’s operations?
Yes. WE Charity later said it was winding down its Canadian operations after the controversy.
Who were the main people involved?
Justin Trudeau, Bill Morneau, and WE co-founders Craig and Marc Kielburger were central figures in the controversy.

References

  1. CBC News — https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/we-charity-student-grant-justin-trudeau-testimony-1.5666676
    Supports: Overview of the controversy, the student grant program, the Trudeau family connection, and the cancellation of the program.
  2. BBC News — https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-53494560
    Supports: Explanation of the contract, the estimated size of the program, and the ethics-investigation context.
  3. CBC News — https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/we-charity-winding-down-operations-1.5717899
    Supports: WE Charity’s decision to wind down Canadian operations and references to the political scandal.
  4. CBC News — https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/we-contracts-lobbying-ethics-1.6060441
    Supports: Parliamentary review and calls for reforms after the scandal.