Evidence of meeting #8 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 money.
A recording is available from Parliament.
1 p.m.
As an Individual
To ask for money, beg.
Now, this is a fantastic thing. It is your job to look after your constituency. Here you are together with the entrepreneur of a company and with the unions, because of the jobs. If you ruin a contract that could go to that company because you are too stupid to get it—it goes somewhere else—I wonder whether you would get elected the next time.
1 p.m.
NDP
1 p.m.
NDP
Thomas Mulcair NDP Outremont, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I briefly want to go back to one question.
We tend to forget that all this concerns the settlement in the Airbus affair.
Here's a reminder of the facts. In March 1988, Air Canada bought 34 Airbus aircraft for $1.8 million each. On June 24, 1993, under the Interpretation Act, Mr. Mulroney ceased to be the Prime Minister of Canada. In March 1995, an article published in Der Spiegel named Mr. Schreiber. On September 29, Canadian authorities made a request to Swiss authorities. On November 18, the letter was published in the Financial Post. On November 20, Mr. Mulroney sued the government for $50 million. In January 1997, Mr. Mulroney received $2.1 million from taxpayers to settle the Airbus affair.
My question to Mr. Schreiber is very specific. Between the publication of your name in Der Spiegel in January 1997, the date of the settlement, and the payment of $2.1 million of taxpayers' money to Mr. Mulroney in connection with this affair, did anyone from the RCMP speak to you, Karlheinz Schreiber?
1:05 p.m.
As an Individual
This is a joke, because if they had spoken to me, they would have heard the same thing you hear today, and there would have been no settlement. The answer is no.
1:05 p.m.
NDP
Thomas Mulcair NDP Outremont, QC
Before saying this is a joke, would you just be kind enough to answer?
Did the RCMP speak to you before January 1997?
1:05 p.m.
NDP
Thomas Mulcair NDP Outremont, QC
Very well. An RCMP spokesman stated publicly, the day after your last appearance here, that they had indeed spoken to you, but that the dates were unclear.
I am grateful to you for answering so clearly.
1:05 p.m.
As an Individual
No. Sir, forgive me when I repeat myself. If the RCMP would have asked me, I would have said the same thing I said to you. How could there ever be a settlement? I don't know what this is all about. There was not one word from anybody.
1:05 p.m.
NDP
Thomas Mulcair NDP Outremont, QC
It's an important matter for us. My colleague and I have been asking about it and we got the answers in French, and it's important for us to walk through the chronology.
1:05 p.m.
As an Individual
Yes, and I understand and I'm surprised that the RCMP lies again.
1:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo
That's it? Thank you.
Colleagues, thank you kindly for the latitude.
Now, there have been discussions among all parties that rather than having the in camera at 209 West Block, we will forgo that. We will give you notice today of a meeting later tomorrow afternoon, around the votes. It will be for one hour.
Order, please. Quiet in the room, please.
Mr. Schreiber, as you know, we're going to be moving forward with other witnesses, so I thought I would just ask you one last question. You had asked for an opportunity to tell your story to Canadians, and I'm asking you whether, to the best of your knowledge and belief, you have brought to the attention of this committee all material matters related to the motion before us.
1:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo
We undoubtedly will have you back, Mr. Schreiber. I can't tell you exactly when, but we will certainly give you sufficient advance notice.
The meeting is adjourned.
