Evidence of meeting #48 for Canadian Heritage in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was crtc.
A recording is available from Parliament.
3:55 p.m.
Vice-Chair (Appointee), Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
Thereafter you're called down....
I don't know who did the questioning. There were four or five people there. I may have taken notes and asked their names, but that document is taken back. You leave the room empty-handed, the same way you came in.
You're interviewed. A few days later you get a call, a supplemental interview, to discuss--
3:55 p.m.
NDP
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
Was Louise Larlee, from the Prime Minister's Office, involved?
3:55 p.m.
Vice-Chair (Appointee), Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
Who?
3:55 p.m.
NDP
3:55 p.m.
Vice-Chair (Appointee), Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
Never heard of the person, sir.
3:55 p.m.
Vice-Chair (Appointee), Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
No.
3:55 p.m.
Vice-Chair (Appointee), Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
If I might just finish, I'll just give you the timeline.
3:55 p.m.
NDP
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
I think my time is running out here. I just wanted to ask a question.
You don't read The Globe and Mail and you don't follow question period, but Lawrence Martin said—here are your qualifications—“Mr. Pentefountas comes equipped with two qualifications: his close friendship with the PM’s director of communications—” he didn't add Mr. Housakos as well—“and zero experience in telecommunications”.
Are you concerned that because of your very close relationship with Mr. Housakos, who gave you the nod for this job, and your close relationship with Dimitri Soudas, who is the director of communications right in the Prime Minister's Office, it looks a little odd that they were looking around for a job for you? You didn't like the other ones, but now you're vice-chair of broadcast? Don't you think that looks like political cronyism at the highest level?
3:55 p.m.
Vice-Chair (Appointee), Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
If we could just set the record straight, Leo Housakos is a friend of mine. We've broken bread together. We know each other well. Our families know each other.
Dimitri Soudas is a gentleman I met maybe ten years ago in old Montreal. I think he was working either on the campaign for Mayor Tremblay or the party thereafter. It was in a food court. My office in old Montreal, the courthouse, is in old Montreal, and I might have spoken to him for a couple of minutes. I think he was 19 at the time, or 18.
3:55 p.m.
Vice-Chair (Appointee), Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
Let me finish.
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
3:55 p.m.
Vice-Chair (Appointee), Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
Thank you, Mr. President.
Shortly thereafter, he moved out west to take up a position with the Canadian Alliance or some party at the time. Over the last ten years, I've seen him maybe on two or three occasions in reception hall types of events in Montreal, with hundreds of other people there. I've spoken to him on a few occasions since then.
We are not close friends. We have not had lunch together. We have not had a drink together. I've never been to his house. He's never been to my house.
4 p.m.
Vice-Chair (Appointee), Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
Those are the facts.
4 p.m.
Conservative
Dean Del Mastro Conservative Peterborough, ON
Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Galipeau just wants to make a brief statement that he thinks is relevant.
4 p.m.
Conservative
4 p.m.
Conservative
March 23rd, 2011 / 4 p.m.
Conservative
Royal Galipeau Conservative Ottawa—Orléans, ON
Mr. Chairman, I have just been listening to Mr. Pentefountas talking about his experience and particularly about how he found out about his appointment. He might be interested to hear that in 1981, when I was appointed to the board of directors of TVOntario, it was a journalist who broke the news to me by calling me late in the evening to congratulate me. I didn't know yet.
In the newspaper, the next morning, that was pretty much my reaction: I didn't know that the Government of Ontario had appointed me to that position.
4 p.m.
Vice-Chair (Appointee), Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
The problem is that—
4 p.m.
Conservative
