Government Operations Committee on Nov. 23rd, 2010

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Before.

[Paul Sauvé]

Not to my knowledge.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

So your lobbyists were Conservatives.

[Paul Sauvé]

That's correct.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

At no time, then, did you meet with officials prior to winning the contract.

[Paul Sauvé]

Calls were made to the office of Robert Wright, to find out when the call for tenders would be launched, and to position ourselves to receive the specifications so that we wouldn't miss the date.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Who called Robert Wright?

[Paul Sauvé]

I believe it was someone from our office. It may have been Éric Beaumier; I don't recall.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Fine.

Now let's talk about when you won the contract. It was noted that there were changes made three times before the contract was awarded. Do you see a cause-and-effect relationship between the interventions made by Mr. Varin and others, and the fact that you were able to secure the contract?

[Paul Sauvé]

I don't know. I think one of the changes was related to the fact that we have been doing our own masonry work for almost 60 years now. It's in our blood.

One of the changes requested was that we be able to do that work. We knew there was a trend toward monopolies on Parliament Hill. Indeed, there was one company that was very well known. We asked for that change because, after all, we are a masonry company. In my opinion, that change had the potential to give our bid an edge by allowing us to develop a better budget approach and offer a better price for taxpayers. As for the other two changes, I don't have an answer to that.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Thank you, Mr. Sauvé.

Ms. Bourgeois, you have eight minutes.

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Good morning, Mr. Sauvé. Thank you for being here today. I want to say that I am very grateful to you for your courage in agreeing to come here to Parliament Hill to tell us exactly what is going on between our walls. Thank you very much.

I would like to begin by asking you this: after securing the contract on Parliament Hill, you organized a cocktail party. Are you in the habit of organizing that kind of event to thank the people who help you win contracts?

[Paul Sauvé]

I have organized a few of them. For example, I organized one for a person I consider to be a friend, Mr. André Boisclair. When I was still quite young, I attended several cocktail parties, because my father was very active in the Liberal Party of Canada and the Quebec Liberal Party. So, from an early age, I saw how the machine worked, but it was not something I was in the habit of doing.

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

With respect to the cocktail party that Mr. Paradis attended, who told you you should organize a cocktail party to thank these people?

[Paul Sauvé]

It was a man by the name of Gilles Prud'Homme, who was an organizer in the riding of Bourassa. He made it very clear that this would be helpful as a way of boosting the Conservative Party, because in Quebec, it was difficult for his members to collect money.

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

Did Mr. Prud'Homme suggest names of people who should be invited?

[Paul Sauvé]

Mr. Prud'Homme had a small network. He suggested the names of a few people who came. I would say that most of them, with the exception of the ones who arrived unexpectedly in the course of the evening, attended as a result of calls that I and others had made, to ensure they would be there.

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

You say that some people arrived unexpectedly. Were they invited by Mr. Prud'Homme or by Conservative Party people?

[Paul Sauvé]

I don't know. I know that the Broccolini brothers, who have a very large construction company, were in attendance and monopolized the Minister practically the whole time he was there.

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

Were you able to discuss the contract you had been awarded with the Minister?

[Paul Sauvé]

I talked to him for about 180 seconds, because that was all the time I was allowed. I had few opportunities to speak to him.

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

I see.

And that infamous cocktail party took place at the Da Enrico restaurant. Do you know Mr. Da Enrico?

[Paul Sauvé]

No, it was a pitiful place. It was in very bad taste. I did not choose it.

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

Who did?

[Paul Sauvé]

I believe it was Mr. Prud'Homme or his wife.