Evidence of meeting #43 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 summit.
A recording is available from Parliament.
9:50 a.m.
As an Individual
Yes, it was under the name of Avison Young. It's a national company.
9:50 a.m.
Bloc
9:50 a.m.
As an Individual
I was involved in offices, industrial and commercial buildings and retail businesses.
9:50 a.m.
Bloc
9:50 a.m.
Bloc
Diane Bourgeois Bloc Terrebonne—Blainville, QC
You were responsible for an office. You had some flexibility there? Was the minister often in the office?
9:50 a.m.
As an Individual
Mr. Fortier had an advantage over you. As the Senate sits three days a week, that gave him a little more freedom.
9:50 a.m.
Bloc
Diane Bourgeois Bloc Terrebonne—Blainville, QC
All right. You had a secretary? How many staff members were there in that office? There was Mr. Fortier, you... Was there a secretary who took calls and messages?
9:50 a.m.
As an Individual
We're talking here about two people from the department who managed the ministers' regional office.
9:50 a.m.
As an Individual
Yes, they have an office at 400 Place d'Youville, 6th Floor.
9:50 a.m.
Bloc
Diane Bourgeois Bloc Terrebonne—Blainville, QC
I'm trying to get a clear idea of your role so that we don't make a mistake. Ultimately, you were Mr. Fortier's right-hand man for the Montreal region. Is that correct?
9:50 a.m.
Bloc
Diane Bourgeois Bloc Terrebonne—Blainville, QC
Mr. Côté, did you decide, for example, whether the type of work an individual did might be useful for the House of Commons? Did you make that kind of decision? I'm trying to see.
9:50 a.m.
As an Individual
It concerned a few of the files I mentioned. We followed them up to ensure they were carried out.
9:50 a.m.
Bloc
Diane Bourgeois Bloc Terrebonne—Blainville, QC
All right. What were those files about? You mentioned some people. Give me an example.
9:50 a.m.
As an Individual
The City of Montreal; practically all museums; people in the cultural field—
9:50 a.m.
Bloc
Diane Bourgeois Bloc Terrebonne—Blainville, QC
Did people come to see you saying they thought their product was better than another for a project that was to be carried out in the City of Montreal? Did people come to see you and tell you about their products, about their projects?
9:50 a.m.
As an Individual
The people from the City of Montreal told us about the Quartier des spectacles, a project that was to be carried out.
9:50 a.m.
Bloc
Diane Bourgeois Bloc Terrebonne—Blainville, QC
So they mentioned those needs to you. At the same time, did people go and see you to tell you that they could meet the needs because they had innovative material, for example?
9:50 a.m.
As an Individual
I'll give you an example. The mayor of Montreal, Mr. Tremblay, spoke to Mr. Fortier about the Quartier des spectacles project. He told him that it was going to cost $120 million and that he would like to see the federal government make a financial contribution to the implementation of that project.