Evidence of meeting #18 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was gillani.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:40 p.m.
Liberal
Alexandra Mendes Liberal Brossard—La Prairie, QC
Madam Chair, just to clarify, what Mr. Guimond asked for was for all the evidence that Mr. Harvey is submitting, not just the card. So it's the four pieces of evidence.
4:40 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
Okay, the four pieces. I'm sending the clerk over.
For the first round of questions we will go to Madame Coady. Eight minutes.
4:40 p.m.
Liberal
Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
Thank you very much.
We appreciate you appearing before committee and for tabling documentation. We would appreciate any information or documentation you have to be submitted to committee. So thank you very much.
First of all, you talked about the August 25 meeting where you met with Mr. Jaffer and Mr. Glémaud, I think, at a dinner.
4:40 p.m.
Liberal
Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
Sorry, okay. Thank you.
What was your interpretation of that? Were you expecting him to do anything for you after that particular meeting or lunch? What did he offer you?
4:40 p.m.
As an Individual
I guess I could preface it by telling you what led up to that afternoon meeting. I got a call from Mr. Gillani saying that there was an ex-MP who had access to some government funding and he wanted us to come and present our business plan. I didn't realize, at least at that point in time, that it was Rahim Jaffer or that it was the green fund in general. But he did then mention... We had an element of our business that was focused on green initiatives in retail, such as--I believe Mr. Snowdy was in here and made this point--more efficient lighting, energy utilization efficiencies, and the other one was obtaining efficiencies in the retail supply chain. So those were topics we touched on. They certainly weren't the core of our business by any means.
4:40 p.m.
Liberal
Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
Did you discuss the availability of funds? You said that you went to the meeting with the anticipation that there was access to funding available. So did you discuss funding, and specifically the $5 million government loan, which you mentioned in your opening statement? Can you elaborate on that, please?
4:40 p.m.
As an Individual
Yes. At the lunch, or at the luncheon--it wasn't really a lunch, it was a mid-afternoon sort of thing--first of all, he introduced himself and talked about his past in the government, his 12 years in office, and we were of course thoroughly impressed that we had someone who could potentially get us funding via a government channel.
4:40 p.m.
Liberal
Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
So you thought that he was a lobbyist who could get you a channel into government?
4:40 p.m.
As an Individual
Without knowing the definitive term of “lobbying”, I would say that he was someone who had access, sure.
4:40 p.m.
As an Individual
We went through the presentation, and, as I said, he presented his business card to us--
4:40 p.m.
Liberal
4:40 p.m.
As an Individual
Parliamentary business card, yes. MP, Edmonton—Strathcona, I believe. On the opposite side it was in French.
4:40 p.m.
Liberal
Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
Thank you. I just wanted to put it into the record. That's what you tabled.
4:40 p.m.
Liberal
4:40 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
Your clock is off.
I want committee's permission... On the documents that I have, the exhibit that might be relevant to your questioning, can I have permission to distribute it? It's in English only.
Oui ou non?
4:40 p.m.
Some hon. members
Oui.
4:40 p.m.
Bloc
Michel Guimond Bloc Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord, QC
Is the business card in both languages?