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.
10:10 a.m.
NDP
10:10 a.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Did you ever meet with Mr. Byers from the BMO or Mr. Norris from the Royal Bank?
10:10 a.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Are you aware that through sworn testimony at the labour board, Mr. Tipple and Mr. Rotor alleged that Minister Fortier personally interfered with the administration of the contract given to those banks?
10:10 a.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
We're talking about political interference with the administration of Public Works' contracts. What could be more relevant?
10:10 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
I do think at this point it's a relevant question, although I do caution all members that we have to stay within the bounds of relevance.
Mr. Martin, I'll allow this line of questioning to continue.
10:10 a.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
What is your role in the sale and leaseback of public buildings, the Larco project, and the involvement of Mr. Byers and Mr. Norris? Are you saying you've never met Mr. Byers, the bidder for the Bank of Montreal, and Mr. Norris, the bidder for the Royal Bank of Canada?
10:10 a.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Why would the executive assistant, who has a background in commercial real estate, to the minister not be involved in one of the key files of the minister's office?
10:10 a.m.
As an Individual
I'll tell you that when the subject matter came up for discussion at the minister's office, I told the minister I was not in favour of such a deal. That was the end of it.
10:10 a.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Good advice.
The judge said at the time that the firing of Mr. Tipple and Mr. Rotor was a sham and a camouflage, because they were whistleblowers who were uncomfortable with the minister personally interfering with the administration of that contract. Are you aware of that?
10:10 a.m.
As an Individual
I don't know. I didn't follow that, because it's way out of my line of duty.
10:10 a.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Julie Couillard seems to have screwed her way into a position of influence with the Conservatives--
10:10 a.m.
Conservative
Ed Holder Conservative London West, ON
I think there has to be some decorum and some respect, and I think the choice of words used here is unparliamentary. I'd ask this member to cease and desist along that line. That's just disrespectful.
I don't care how much parliamentary privilege we have. There gets to be a point of respect, and I think that crosses a line.
10:10 a.m.
Liberal
10:10 a.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Our concern is—and it's one of the most horrifying things for Canadians—that a guy who was mobbed up by the Hells Angels manages to buy his way onto the pre-qualified bidders' list for a project he clearly wasn't qualified for, because he went bankrupt shortly, months, thereafter.
We're acting on behalf of the Canadian taxpayer here. We don't want $9 million jobs going to people who clearly should never have even made the pre-qualified list. The connection I'm concerned about is the influence of bikers in the construction industry, not only in Quebec but in British Columbia and right across this country, where they became the labour brokers. They find a perfect place to launder their drug money, etc. That's the connection we're worried about, and we know of the former connection of Julie Couillard, who happened to gain access to senior, high-ranking officials and ministers in the Conservative government. Is it a coincidence that these biker-dominated construction companies are all of a sudden getting juicy government contracts right underneath our noses in the Parliament buildings?
Here you are, a chief assistant to the Minister of Public Works, and you're going out with a woman who has a known connection to the Hells Angels. Did a little light go off in your head that maybe this is a bad idea? No?