Evidence of meeting #10 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was mulroney.
A recording is available from Parliament.
10:20 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo
Thank you. And I appreciate your offer.
I should also indicate to all who might be interested parties that Mr. Mulroney was invited to be here, and he is here voluntarily and fully cooperative.
I'd like to move now to Mr. Pat Martin.
10:20 a.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Mulroney, people use cash in business deals of that size when they're either trying to hide any record of something that they know to be wrong or if they're trying to avoid taxes. That's the way most ordinary Canadians would see it, and neither look very good for a former prime minister, let me simply say.
You're saying, or you would have us believe, that you made this second-worst mistake of your life so you could promote world peace by selling peacemaking vehicles to other countries, the presidents of other countries. Did you also try to sell pasta-making machines to the President of Italy while you were touring the world?
One of your spokespeople said that the money was to promote pasta-making machines in one of the early incarnations of what this money was really for.
10:20 a.m.
P.C., As an Individual
Mr. Martin, it was Mr. Schreiber who said that, and under oath.
10:20 a.m.
P.C., As an Individual
No, sir, it was said under oath by Mr. Schreiber in the Eurocopter case down the street here in 2004; that's where he said that.
10:20 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo
Order.
The translators have enough difficulty, and when two people are talking at the same time it doesn't work. I'm going to ask for everyone's cooperation. Pose a question, and please wait for the answer.
In regard to the member's time, should the answer take substantial time, I will not penalize the member in his questioning time. I'll try to make sure you get equitable speaking time.
Mr. Martin, could you pose your question to Mr. Mulroney and allow him to finish his answer?
10:25 a.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
The question I'd like answered is that you said you didn't deposit the money you got in New York into a bank account; you put it into a safety deposit box. Do you have any access to, or have you ever had--
10:25 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo
Order, please.
That's not the question that you just repeated. I think Mr. Mulroney wanted to respond to your previous question. If you care to, you can repeat that question where the pasta reference was made. I believe that's where Mr. Mulroney wanted to make a response.
If you don't want to repeat it, I think Mr. Mulroney, at this time, would like to respond to the content of that question.
I won't dock your time for this, but I want to be fair to the witness.