Evidence of meeting #48 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 campaign.
A recording is available from Parliament.
10:50 a.m.
As an Individual
This is two and a half years ago. My recollection of that is extremely hazy. I don't recall if they did or did not. I would have no knowledge of that.
10:50 a.m.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
Thank you.
Welcome. We are very pleased to hear your testimony this morning. My first question is for Mr. Campbell.
After the election campaign, does the Conservative Party continue to be your client?
10:50 a.m.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
At present, you are working with the Conservative Party on the next election campaign.
10:50 a.m.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
Who is your contact person? I am talking about Retail Media, because a year ago, you were with Group M, is that correct?
10:50 a.m.
As an Individual
Oh, if I may explain that, yes, as I indicated before, during the time of the 2006 federal election, I was president and chief executive officer of RMI, Retail Media. Group M is the parent company of RMI, Retail Media. So the dealings with the Conservative Party are with Retail Media.
10:50 a.m.
As an Individual
Yes, I was promoted subsequently to chief executive officer of that company.
10:50 a.m.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
Is Retail Media or Group M the Conservative Party's supplier?
10:50 a.m.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
Right, thank you.
Who is your contact person in the Conservative Party at present?
10:50 a.m.
As an Individual
The contact persons for the Conservative Party are Patrick Muttart and the advertising manager as well, Dennis Matthews.
10:50 a.m.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
Is this the same person who was your contact person during the election campaign?
10:55 a.m.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
You continued and he is still your contact person.
Mr. Kumpf, there was an interesting email exchange in which you expressed doubt as to the legality of the process. You asked that the Broadcast Arbitrator be consulted. Under the Elections Act, that arbitrator is an agent of Elections Canada and is responsible for administering the sections of the Act relating to broadcasting. The email was dated December 6, and you were addressing Perry Miele. He replied that the Broadcast Arbitrator should perhaps be consulted. You received a reply the same day saying that they preferred not to know the answer.
Do you recall that email?
10:55 a.m.
As an Individual
Yes, the adjudicator being.... I believe it says there, “contact the Broadcast Arbitrator”. Is it that one?
That's it. Yes, I did send that.
My concern with respect to that was that it had everything to do with the broadcasting guidelines issued by the arbitrator on behalf of Elections Canada. I was not sure, as the media buying firm for the Conservative Party of Canada, whether we could also be the same for the candidate.
As well as that, because we were going to be transferring some time that was booked with broadcasters for the party, over to the candidate level, I was not sure if we could indeed do that, because it's ambiguous in the broadcasting guidelines whether or not that can be done. In essence we were transferring from one client to another. I wasn't sure. I was not sure whether that could be undertaken.
10:55 a.m.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
If you had doubts, why did you not consult the arbitrator?
10:55 a.m.
As an Individual
Well, I put my doubts in the e-mail, and the idea was that it's totalled off and we would see what the party and legal counsel and what not would state about that.
As David mentioned, subsequently we received assurances that it was fine.
10:55 a.m.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
When you say "we decided", who was this? I imagine it was Mr. Muttart.
