Evidence of meeting #10 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was mulroney.
A recording is available from Parliament.
11:50 a.m.
Bloc
11:50 a.m.
Bloc
11:50 a.m.
P.C., As an Individual
No, sir. I decided to pay tax on everythin, including expenditures. I declared everything; I didn't claim any expenses.
11:50 a.m.
Bloc
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
It was only in the case of this client that you were generous with the tax department.
11:50 a.m.
P.C., As an Individual
No, no, it was not because of that. I was generous because I wanted to ensure that there would never be any question whatsoever—but God knows that there are now!—and that everything would be resolved in favour of the Canadian and Quebec tax department. That is why I decided to declare all expenses as income and I paid the bill.
11:50 a.m.
Bloc
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
Yes, but you do realize, Mr. Mulroney, that in the eyes of ordinary citizens, when a person keeps cash, when a person does not want to deposit it at the bank and takes out the amounts in cash, it's because this individual wants to hide something, generally from the tax department, but also from other people.
11:50 a.m.
Bloc
11:50 a.m.
P.C., As an Individual
But you have the proof that this is false: I declared everything to the tax department, including my...
11:50 a.m.
P.C., As an Individual
Let's be clear about this, this was a retainer. Under tax law, disbursements from a retainer are not taxable. No tax is payable until the individual has completed his invoice.
11:50 a.m.
Bloc
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
Mr. Mulroney, the fundamental question remains. In the case of this money, described by you as being perfectly legitimate, why did you not treat it the same way that you did with other legitimate money paid to you, namely, deposit it in the bank and then subsequently prepare invoices related to services rendered?
11:50 a.m.
P.C., As an Individual
Mr. Ménard, I told you that this was a mistake. I made an error.
11:50 a.m.
Bloc
December 13th, 2007 / 11:50 a.m.
P.C., As an Individual
Yes, an error is not divisible. This was a complete error, and I have apologized for it.
11:50 a.m.
Bloc
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
One of my friends said: “Errare humanum est, perseverare diabolicum”. I would say: “perseverare in errare est diabolicum”.
11:50 a.m.
P.C., As an Individual
A chap from Baie-Comeau had an answer to that. He said: “Lex Rhodia de jactu”.
11:50 a.m.
Bloc
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
Mr. Mulroney, I would like to understand your initial reaction to the cash amount you were offered.
You had been the leader of the party, and I imagine that like all party leaders, you had to keep some discipline amongst your members. If you had heard that a member had received $75,000 in cash and that he was keeping this amount in a safety deposit box in his home, supposedly for future needs, would you have sought any explanations from him?