Government Operations Committee on June 17th, 2010

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Mr. Jaffer, it's me again.

This is so much like déjà vu to me. Earlier on, I was asking about the website. It seems like this is a replay of the last committee meeting. I asked you specifically why you took down the website. You must have known what was on the website. You said, “I took down the website because the Conservative Party asked me to remove the Conservative logo from it.” You said there was one action, to remove that by shutting down the website.

Mr. Jaffer, again, I now have cached copies of your website from April 8. Earlier in the day there's a “C” next to your name—the conservative “C”.

[Rahim Jaffer]

Right.

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

Later in the day, the “C” is removed. So the logo came down; the website remained.

This speaks to the fact that you're not willing yet to tell us the truth. If we can't believe you on the small stuff, how can we believe you on the big stuff?

[Rahim Jaffer]

As I recollect, that website came down that day. If it did not come down immediately after the “C” was taken off...I had advised the people who were hosting the website to take the website down. It's an issue of semantics whether it was an hour, two hours, or that evening, but it was taken down that day.

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

Well, Mr. Jaffer, that's not what you said earlier in your testimony to our committee.

The chair asked me when you came in, “Should we swear Mr. Jaffer in?” And I said “No, I think Mr. Jaffer should be prepared to tell us the truth today.”

What we have seen is consistent with what we've seen demonstrated by you in this committee before. You come and you say, “Only if you have evidence will I admit to something.” “Show me the evidence”, you always say. When we ask you for the evidence, you say, “I only have one e-mail. Here it is.”

We've asked you for more than that. We've asked you to rebuild your trust with your former colleagues, with your former constituents, and with Canadians. You have done nothing like that today. You've continued to break down your trust. I don't know that there's any trust left.

[Rahim Jaffer]

Is there a question there specifically?

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

Only if you can rectify in the last three minutes of this committee, and either take responsibility.... Take some responsibility, at least—I haven't heard you take any responsibility today. I think that's the least you owe Canadians.

[Rahim Jaffer]

Just on this point, I have apologized to Canadians for not being properly prepared the first time. I've apologized to this committee.

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

Well....

[Rahim Jaffer]

I've also said, and it's an issue of semantics—you can laugh if you wish and make light of it—I think Canadians, given the drastic stress we were under during all the scrutiny that came about, would understand that I would have made some mistakes.

I was instructed, as I said, to take that website down. Initially the “C” came down, but it's an issue of semantics--

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

But that's not what you said.

[Rahim Jaffer]

--that same day; the website came down. If you want to make an issue of whether or not it was a few hours later or the end of the day, I can assure you the website came down. It was no longer there, and I just thought it would be less of a headache. Initially, I think the web host said he got a call as well to take the “C” off. He did so, but when I followed up with him and said “Please take the website down”, he did so.

I apologize if I made a mistake of a couple hours, but it did come down that day.

I don't know why you would make such a big point of it.

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

Mr. Jaffer, do you know a gentleman by the name of Jaime Watt who works for Navigator?

[Rahim Jaffer]

Do I know him? Yes, very well.

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

Do you know that he contacted Mr. Hamilton after the conversation that your wife had with Mr. Hamilton, the same day she was given the information with regard to the allegations levelled against her?

[Rahim Jaffer]

I think you'll have to ask my wife about that. I don't know the details of what he would have said--

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

You were speaking very clearly that you had no understanding as to why your wife had been removed as a cabinet minister and from caucus. You said you had no idea.

[Rahim Jaffer]

Other than allegations....

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

So you do know that allegations have been levelled against your wife?

[Rahim Jaffer]

Only what I've read in the media, and most of that has fallen--

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

So you have never heard about the details of the conversation your wife had with Mr. Hamilton, which took over 20 minutes, as well as a conversation with Mr. Jaime Watt, whom you claim you know well. You have no idea as to what they were told in those conversations.

[Rahim Jaffer]

Again, it's not for me to speak for my wife or my wife's actions during the time of her discussion with the Prime Minister.

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

Well, you've made a significant statement here today as it relates to the allegations that have been levelled against your wife and as to why she has been removed from the Conservative caucus as well as from cabinet.

[Rahim Jaffer]

I did, in relation to the fact that she is not under any formal investigation, other than the Ethics Commissioner--

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

We have heard contrary testimony at this committee--