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.
11:15 a.m.
As an Individual
As we have an ongoing business relationship, I speak occasionally with people at the Conservative Party.
11:15 a.m.
Liberal
Marcel Proulx Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
I can understand that, but was that about your appearing here today or what you're going to testify to?
11:15 a.m.
As an Individual
When your first round of deliberations was over about a month ago, in the course of business conversation, Patrick Muttart mentioned we were likely to be called as witnesses. There was nothing stated that was either giving or seeking advice.
11:15 a.m.
Liberal
Marcel Proulx Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
Thank you.
Mrs. Dixon, I want to have something clear in my head. My understanding from your testimony is that there were two types of invoicing: one for all of Canada, excluding Quebec; and for the Quebec candidates, there were individual invoices with the name of the riding and their individual names on the invoices. Right?
11:15 a.m.
As an Individual
There were actually four types. We had two clients, two types of Conservative Party; one was Quebec, and one was non-Quebec. We had official agents; one was Quebec, and one was non-Quebec. So there were four types.
11:15 a.m.
Liberal
Marcel Proulx Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
You say that the only ones that were detailed were for Quebec, right?
11:15 a.m.
As an Individual
We have two clients, the Conservative Party and the official agents.
11:15 a.m.
Liberal
Marcel Proulx Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
Okay, I understand what you mean. How come, then, there were invoices supplied to Elections Canada--individual invoices--for other ridings outside of Quebec? The example I have in front of me, by coincidence, is one that states “Trinity—Spadina, $46,728.86, plus tax, for a total of $49,999.88”.
Where does this come from? You're not lying to me, now?
11:15 a.m.
As an Individual
I'm not lying to you.
What had happened is that our clerk had prepared individual invoices for all the candidates outside of the Quebec area. We sent a sample of the summary invoice to Susan Kehoe, and she said that was fine for the non-Quebec candidates. When Elections Canada came to us and asked us to provide some information, I provided the backup that we had not given to Susan Kehoe in that information. We had prepared it, but we had never provided it to the—
11:15 a.m.
Liberal
Marcel Proulx Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
Am I to understand, then, Ms. Dixon, that this invoice that states “Trinity—Spadina” was actually prepared by your company?
11:15 a.m.
As an Individual
It was prepared, but never provided to the official agents.
11:15 a.m.
As an Individual
It's just to make sure that we have the proper documents.
11:20 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo
Yes. You have a little less than a minute; we'll wait until they acknowledge that they've had an opportunity to review it to ensure that they understand what it is.
11:20 a.m.
As an Individual
If you look at the summary invoice, the amount for Trinity—Spadina is just repeated on there, the $46,000.
11:20 a.m.
Liberal
Marcel Proulx Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
My question is, did the one that is strictly about Trinity—Spadina come from your company or not?
11:20 a.m.
As an Individual
It was produced at our company, but never provided to the official agents. We provided only the summary one.
11:20 a.m.
Liberal
11:20 a.m.
As an Individual
I put all our documents together and provided this to Elections Canada, and it was in error, because the official agents never, ever received it.
August 13th, 2008 / 11:20 a.m.
Liberal