Records show that WE Charity has received at least $5.5 million in funding from the Trudeau government since 2015.
According to Global News, government funding to WE dramatically increased immediately after the Trudeau government took power.
During the Harper years, WE received a $300,000 grant in 2012-2013, and started accepting $100,000 annually as part of the “Youth Take Charge Program.”
From 2008-2012, WE received no funding from the federal government.
Starting in 2015, WE started receiving substantial funding from the government, primarily from the Departments of Canadian Heritage and Families, Children and Social Development.
In 2017, the Trudeau government paid WE $1.5 million for Canada 150 activities, including $1 million to hold a single “WE Day” rally in Ottawa on July 2. The prime minister and his mother both spoke at the event.
“(Canadian Heritage) asked WE Charity to organize a WE Day on July 2 for thousands of youth, educators and parents as part of the Canada Day weekend festivities in Ottawa,” a Canadian Heritage spokesperson told Global.
“In total, $1,000,000 was allocated to that project, to cover direct event delivery costs and to cover the costs of third-party contractors to maintain key infrastructure on the Hill for an additional day.”
In June, the Trudeau government selected WE to administer a $912 million fund through the Canada Student Service Grant program. Through the agreement, WE could have earned as much as $43 million and pay for hundreds of positions with its organization.
When the deal was announced, it was not publicly known that WE had paid members of the Trudeau family for speaking gigs since 2016. Margaret Trudeau, the prime minister’s mother, received $312,000 from WE. Alexandre Trudeau, his brother, received $32,000.
In addition, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau received $1,500 from WE in 2012 and is a “WE ambassador and ally.” Grégoire Trudeau hosts a WE podcast.
