Information & Ethics committee  Yes.

Information & Ethics committee  The definition of “conflict of interest” in the Conflict of Interest Code for Members includes the words, “improperly further”. What does “improperly” mean? It's actually just a reference to ethics. That's the only way I can interpret it.

Information & Ethics committee  Yes.

Information & Ethics committee  No, no, I said I didn't speak personally—

Information & Ethics committee  You're asking me whether I personally spoke with the Prime Minister or with people from his office, which I did not do. Members of my office spoke with people from the Prime Minister's Office. I think that's what the statement was referring to, that the Prime Minister's Office had contacted the commissioner's office.

Information & Ethics committee  The statement isn’t as clear as you would have liked. However, that's exactly what happened.

Information & Ethics committee  I can't answer—

Information & Ethics committee  Ms. Robinson‑Dalpé, can you answer that question?

Information & Ethics committee  A member of my team is assigned to every individual subject to the law. If any individual wants to speak to me personally, be they a minister, an MP or the prime minister, I will speak to them, of course. I'm available. However, it's up to the individual to say if they want to further the discussion or if they're happy with the conversation they had with the person assigned to deal with their issue.

Information & Ethics committee  It is clear that that was a statement by the Prime Minister's spokesperson. What we do is give advice. The PMO consulted us about this trip, and we gave advice. The Prime Minister took the trip. Nothing was reported on our website. There doesn't necessarily have to be a report if it is a gift from a friend, as the deputy minister said.

Information & Ethics committee  As far as I am concerned, there is nothing further. As I said, if there had been something that needed to be disclosed, it would have been disclosed. We were advised and we gave advice. The Prime Minister obviously took the advice and followed it. What he or his spokesman says publicly is not under my control, and I have no comment about it.

Information & Ethics committee  Well, if you look at the code, to which you are subject as a member of Parliament, you see that it says, “to avoid real or apparent conflicts of interests”. This is a very well known concept in law that judges apply all the time to determine whether the parties before them are conflicted or not.

Information & Ethics committee  Absolutely.

Information & Ethics committee  If you'll allow me, Mr. Chair, I have just one item of information. Our office has produced a guideline for the application of the code, which has to be approved by a committee of the House—a procedural committee—in order to help you live with the code, administer it and understand how we interpret it and how we try to be helpful before you even talk to us.

Information & Ethics committee  I did not speak with the Prime Minister or anyone in his office.