Government Operations Committee on Dec. 9th, 2010

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.

On the agenda

Effectiveness, Management and Operation of the Expenses Incurred for the G8/G20 Summits

Management of the Department of Public Works and Government Services in Awarding of Contracts for the Renovation of Parliamentary Buildings

Committee Business

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Bernard Côté As an Individual

9:45 a.m.

As an Individual

Bernard Côté

Mr. Varin had approached us, as a member of the Yacht Club of the Old Port of Montreal. If I remember correctly, he needed something in order to complete the construction of the Yacht Club of the Old Port of Montreal.

9:45 a.m.

Liberal

Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC

He asked you to intervene on his behalf for the Montreal Yacht Club.

9:45 a.m.

As an Individual

Bernard Côté

The idea was to see whether something could be done so the yacht club could obtain financial support from the federal government to complete its facilities.

9:45 a.m.

Liberal

Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC

Did he meet with you as a Conservative or as a lobbyist?

9:45 a.m.

As an Individual

Bernard Côté

He's a member of the Yacht Club of the Old Port of Montreal.

9:45 a.m.

Liberal

Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC

Did you sense that he was engaging in lobbying?

9:45 a.m.

As an Individual

Bernard Côté

No, he approached us as a member of the Yacht Club of the Old Port of Montreal.

9:45 a.m.

Liberal

Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC

You know that you hold public office. You know that your role is to record the facts every time people ask you for things, if that's an act of lobbying.

9:45 a.m.

As an Individual

Bernard Côté

Yes, but that—

9:45 a.m.

Liberal

Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC

That wasn't lobbying, in your mind?

9:45 a.m.

As an Individual

Bernard Côté

If he's a member of an association and he approaches us—

9:45 a.m.

Liberal

Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC

How did you meet Mr. Sauvé? You told me you were in real estate for a long time. You're still in it.

Are you still in it?

9:45 a.m.

As an Individual

Bernard Côté

Partly, yes.

9:45 a.m.

Liberal

Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC

How did you meet Mr. Sauvé?

9:45 a.m.

As an Individual

Bernard Côté

I met him on the day I met him.

9:45 a.m.

Liberal

Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC

You knew the company, but you didn't know him. Is that it?

9:45 a.m.

As an Individual

Bernard Côté

We knew the company because if you moved around Montreal a little and saw building renovation works, you also saw that the LM Sauvé sign quite regularly appeared on those buildings.

9:45 a.m.

Liberal

Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC

What did you do after your lunch with Mr. Sauvé? You just listened to him and you said to yourself that he should feel all right after that?

9:45 a.m.

As an Individual

Bernard Côté

I listened—

9:45 a.m.

Liberal

Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC

That's all?

9:45 a.m.

As an Individual

Bernard Côté

—and as it wasn't my responsibility, it was—

9:45 a.m.

Liberal

Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC

That's it?

Nothing else happened?

Did you report that to your minister? Mr. Fortier says he's a longstanding friend, that you've known him for more than 10 years Is that correct?

9:45 a.m.

As an Individual

Bernard Côté

Yes.

9:45 a.m.

Liberal

Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC

So when you had a relationship... Especially when he was minister responsible for greater Montreal... You had a prominent role because you were the person who was the go-between.

I imagine you reported to him?

9:45 a.m.

As an Individual

Bernard Côté

You sometimes report on subjects that are important. This one, on the other hand, wasn't a subject of concern for greater Montreal.