Toronto
Publication Date: October 7
Optimum is pleased to announce the publication of What WE Lost: The Untold Story Behind the WE Charity Scandal, coming this fall.
In this compelling and comprehensive book, former WE Charity board member and lawyer Tawfiq Rangwala provides an insider’s perspective on the attacks launched by politicians and the media in the wake of the Liberal government’s decision to choose WE to run the now-defunct Canada Student Service Grant. What was to have been a program to engage youth in volunteerism and service in the midst of a global pandemic devolved into political theatre and was recast as an enrichment scheme for the charity’s founders. Once a media darling, WE found itself at the centre of a partisan firestorm not often seen in Canada.
But this book is more than just the story behind the so-called WE Charity Scandal. It’s also a cautionary tale about the increasing “Americanization” of Canadian politics and the dangers of unchecked social and mainstream media coverage. The damage caused by innuendo and false accusation compelled WE Charity to close its doors in Canada—a profound loss for the country, but also one suffered most acutely by individuals whose voices have yet to be heard.
Rangwala unpacks the evidence and provides critical context for the headline-grabbing controversies that have shaped the narrative around the WE Charity Scandal. Drawing on extensive interviews with supporters and critics alike, he cuts through the fog and explains what really happened, why it happened, and who should be held to account. Armed with the full story, readers are encouraged to reflect and reassess.
Optimum will make more announcements and issue a full press release later this summer.