Evidence of meeting #28 for Public Safety and National Security in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was fadden.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Noon
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Fadden, I want to remind you that you are under oath.
I will not ask you for the names, but I would like to know the provinces involved in the two cases.
Noon
Director, Canadian Security Intelligence Service
I cannot answer that, Mr. Chair.
Noon
Director, Canadian Security Intelligence Service
Those are operational details that I have not yet shared with the government. It would be inappropriate to discuss them in public.
Noon
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
Yet you took the liberty of sharing with the CBC the fact that British Columbia was involved and that municipal officials were allegedly being influenced.
Noon
Director, Canadian Security Intelligence Service
Mr. Chair, I believe I have repeated about 10 times that I regret doing what I did. I will say it again for Ms. Mourani's benefit.
Noon
Director, Canadian Security Intelligence Service
I cannot answer that, Mr. Chair.
Noon
Bloc
Noon
Director, Canadian Security Intelligence Service
I cannot answer that, Mr. Chair.
Noon
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
Are all the ministers referred to from different ethnic backgrounds, or are they French Canadians or English Canadians of British or Irish descent? What are their backgrounds?
Noon
Director, Canadian Security Intelligence Service
I cannot answer that, Mr. Chair, because those are operational details that I cannot share with the committee.
Noon
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
Earlier you said there were two cases in which you had almost completed your analysis, unless I am mistaken.
Noon
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
When your analyses are almost complete, you report to the minister. The investigation is therefore over.
Did you place these people under electronic surveillance? Were their cell phone or Internet communications intercepted, as is the case with regular investigations?
Noon
Director, Canadian Security Intelligence Service
Mr. Chair, we have finished gathering information. I cannot comment on how that information was collected.
12:05 p.m.
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
Forgive me, but I am not asking you to give away any state secrets. I am simply asking whether you filed any warrant applications with the Federal Court in order to investigate these people.
12:05 p.m.
Director, Canadian Security Intelligence Service
Mr. Chair, all of our applications to the Federal Court are classified, and I cannot discuss them with the committee.
12:05 p.m.
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
Mr. Fadden, as soon as your report has been completed, if we find out that you filed applications with the Federal Court, that would mean you made specific requests to the minister to file an application with the Federal Court, which would also mean that the cases in question were already known to the minister, and that you are lying to us right now. Like you, I am just speculating. I am also good at analyzing things.
12:05 p.m.
Director, Canadian Security Intelligence Service
I can assure you, Mr. Chair, that I would not lie to the committee, whether I was under oath or not.
12:05 p.m.
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
Very good. We will read your report then, and we will see whether the individuals in question were the subject of a warrant. If so, the minister knew about it.
I have more questions. Do I still have some time, Mr. Chair?
12:05 p.m.
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
Mr. Fadden, I am quite surprised that someone as level-headed as you, someone who is very familiar with government machinery—you keep talking about the rules you have to follow—would make comments at an event where the drinks were flowing.
Tell me something: did you give your speech before or after the wine was served?
12:05 p.m.
Director, Canadian Security Intelligence Service
I gave my speech after dinner, during which I did not have any wine.
12:05 p.m.
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
Very well, you are safe on that point, at least.
You said it was simply due to a lack of attention on your part that this information was made public. But I have to tell you, Mr. Fadden, I find it hard to believe that a man such as yourself could have neglected his responsibilities.
