The Liberals have given themselves the ability to reward Liberal-friendly companies with Canada Summer Jobs grants, even if those companies never applied for the new 100 per cent wage subsidy in the first place.

Blacklock's Reporter has the details behind their paywall:

The $263 million Summer Jobs program has traditionally seen MPs scrutinize and approve lists of local employers who applied for wage subsidies to hire students. Director General Wilson said for the first time MPs are permitted to nominate local employers for 100 percent wage subsidies regardless of whether they applied in the first place.

“This year in addition to providing feedback on the list of projects recommended in constituencies, MPs were also asked to identify organizations that may support the delivery of essential services in their community and to provide these jobs but did not initially apply,” said Wilson.

Employers nominated by members of Parliament have first call on federal aid, said Wilson. “New projects from additional employers MPs have identified for immediate investment that provide essential services will be funded first,” said Wilson.

The department did not define “essential services”.

It’s going to be like Adscam all over again.

Adscam, or the sponsorship scandal as is was also known, saw a few Liberal-linked Quebec businessmen doing next to nothing in actual work, in return for millions of dollars in federal contracts.

The businessmen then donated back some of the money to the Liberal Party of Canada under Jean Chretien. The RCMP investigation and the parallel Gomery Inquiry into the scheme detailed cash stuffed enveloped and fake invoices.

Except this time, it’s not illegal kickbacks and money laundering — it’s summer jobs money meant to employ summer students off to companies hand selected by the Liberals with little to no oversight.

Liberal friendly companies don’t even have to pretend. Because it’s 2020.