(OTTAWA) The University of Montreal said in a statement Thursday that it is still considering its options in light of new information about a $750,000 donation it received in 2016 that allegedly had ties to the plan. Beijing.
The Globe and Mail wrote in February, citing an unnamed source, that the Chinese government had orchestrated donations to the Montreal university and the Pierre-Elliott-Trudeau Foundation, hoping to influence Justin Trudeau, leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.
The foundation has since pledged to return a $200,000 donation from two Chinese businessmen.
But on Tuesday, the foundation’s board and CEO resigned en bloc, saying the charity’s politicization had “made it impossible to maintain the status quo”.
La Presse wrote on Wednesday that the foundation was unable to return the money it received from Zhang Bin’s Golden Eagle International Media Company, which ultimately amounted to $140,000.
According to the Globe and Mail, the Trudeau Foundation has undertaken an independent review of its decision to accept the donation.
On March 2, Université de Montréal spokesperson Jeff Heinrich wrote in an email to La Presse Canadienne that the institution was reviewing its options “in light of available information.”
Mr. Heinrich added that the university had revised its policy on accepting donations in 2021. “The University of Montreal conducts due diligence on the identity and motivations of people who propose to make a large donation, including foreign donors,” he wrote.
