The SNC-Lavalin saga offered a glimpse into the extraordinary influence of one powerful company on Canadian politicians at the highest level.

At one point, SNC-Lavalin Group chair Kevin Lynch simply picked up the phone and called Michael Wernick, then the Privy Council clerk and most powerful public servant in Canada. The purpose of the call? To ask what could be done to avoid criminal prosecution of the company.

On the heels of this controversy, the Liberals have once again yielded to industry pressure and seriously weakened their commitment to corporate accountability for Canadian companies operating abroad.