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.
5:05 p.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
I have some information sent to us by Mr. Gillani recently, in anticipation of undermining your testimony here today. Mr. Garces is vice-president of HD Retail, or a partner?
5:05 p.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Were you and part of your management team at a bachelor party for Mr. Dennis Garces that was held at Club Paradise and paid for in large part by Mr. Gillani?
5:05 p.m.
As an Individual
I wasn't.
I went to a dinner for Mr. Gillani before, which Mr. Snowdy was also in attendance for, and we rode in and back together. We live close to each other, so it made sense for us to hitch a ride. So we went in and came back before midnight. I think the guys might have gone out after.
5:05 p.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
And have you seen photographs taken at that party by Mr. Garces, using Mr. Garces' cellphone, and later distributed by e-mail?
5:05 p.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Did HD Retail operate with assets bought from another bankrupt company?
5:05 p.m.
As an Individual
Yes, through the insolvency process it was actually one of Mr. Gillani's companies that purchased the assets.
5:05 p.m.
As an Individual
Of the old family business. Claybrooke was also in the retail outsourcing business, more focused on logistics and in-store execution. We spent three years on the PROFIT 100. We had a wonderful run, and I guess you could say that we outgrew our capitalization. When it came down to it, we had one of our customers who decided they wanted to end the relationship and the bank followed suit. It ended actually fairly quickly, considering what we could have achieved with that business.
5:05 p.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
And are you now working for a business that in turn bought the assets of HD Retail following its bankruptcy?
5:05 p.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Mr. Snowdy said he had been investigating Mr. Gillani for 19 months. Did you or Mr. Garces initiate hiring Mr. Snowdy to investigate Mr. Gillani?
5:10 p.m.
As an Individual
For 19 months, that wouldn't have been possible for how long our business was actually even in existence. If there was someone who had hired him before, I'm not sure who that was. I was aware of his involvement about June or July 2009.
5:10 p.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
You're quoted as saying, “Rahim Jaffer said he was in front of a $100-million green fund.” That's a quote from a Toronto Star article.
Did you talk with him about this more than once?
5:10 p.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
There was a claim that you were coached. Because your initial instinct, which I think is probably correct, was that your business proposal probably wouldn't fit the normal criteria of this green infrastructure fund or green fund, were you not coached as to how you might craft the proposal so that it would fit in?
5:10 p.m.
As an Individual
We never got to the point of a proposal per se. We were told that it would be a good idea if we touched on our green-related or environmentally friendly initiatives in retail. As I said before, the lighting, efficient utilization of energy, reducing carbon footprint, and efficient supply chain were the areas we had touched on in that meeting. They certainly weren't the bulk of our business plan, by any means; they were an auxiliary element to something that may qualify as far as funding goes.
5:10 p.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
On the $5 million, these are very specific details about the loan. It must have sounded plausible to you, to not just say “I think I can get you $5 million”, but “I think I can get it to you at this rate of interest, repayable under these terms”.