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.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo
I apologize for interrupting. The member's question was specifically with regard to Mr. Bernier when he was industry minister, and whether there was any discussion with regard to wireless.
Conservative
Dean Del Mastro Conservative Peterborough, ON
On a point of order, it's relevant to the question that you've allowed. He's responding to the question as to whether he has ever had any meetings. He's responding to what the meetings were about. It's relevant to the question.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo
I will allow Mr. Mulroney to go on, but maybe we need to answer the questions in the chronology in which they were asked. Industry happened before Foreign Affairs.
I think everyone understands. I want to let Mr. Mulroney answer it in his own words, but please be cognizant that the question, the principal question, related to when the minister was industry minister, and the subject matter, whether or not that subject matter was discussed.
P.C., As an Individual
The meetings and communications, as I say, were principally in regard to his time at Foreign Affairs. I have no recollection of having met with him when he was industry minister. I certainly did when he was in Foreign Affairs.
I have no recollection of that, and I have no recollection of any discussion that bore directly on any given file at the time. The discussions, I may say, were general in nature and designed to assist him, to the extent that I might be able to, in his political responsibilities in Quebec, in Canada, and then later internationally, as opposed to any specific file.
I think I was asked by the honourable member—perhaps it wasn't him, perhaps it was someone else—about whether I had met with Mr. Bernier to introduce him to Pierre Karl Péladeau for a discussion in this matter. I think that was asked this morning by someone.
Perhaps the honourable member missed it, but I said no, I did not, and I didn't think that Pierre Karl Péladeau needed me or anyone else to arrange an introduction for a legitimate meeting with Mr. Bernier.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
That is what I think too, but the question was broader. It dealt with any discussion about the wireless spectrum issue, and not totally and specifically a meeting.
I will give the floor to Mr. Dhaliwal.
Liberal
Sukh Dhaliwal Liberal Newton—North Delta, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Welcome, former Prime Minister Mr. Mulroney. It's an honour to have you here.
Mr. Mulroney, I and many Canadians have never seen that amount of cash. What currency was the money in? How did you know that there was $75,000 in each? Did you count it?
P.C., As an Individual
When I deposited the amount in the safe it was split up, I think, into tens and one five.
But let me tell you, sir.... I'm sorry, go ahead.
Liberal
Sukh Dhaliwal Liberal Newton—North Delta, BC
Okay.
You said the cash was in a legal-sized envelope. Can you show us with your hands how thick the envelope was?
Liberal
Sukh Dhaliwal Liberal Newton—North Delta, BC
We want to know.
Was it your third great mistake, Mr. Mulroney, that you did not know where the cash came from?
December 13th, 2007 / 12:25 p.m.
P.C., As an Individual
I think that would be a legitimate question if you had not heard from Mr. Schreiber that he didn't have a clue where the cash came from, and moreover that he had devised a system to ensure that no one else knew, that everything was conducted in such a manner as to be totally secret. I had no idea, sir. I had the view at the time that I was dealing with a legitimate businessman, whom I knew in 1993.
I think it's worth mentioning, at least briefly, sir, in defence of the position I've just articulated, that he also told you at that time—and he may have told Madame Lavallée, as well—that this money came from the “Britan” account, which was designed for “Brian”. We now know that was a hoax. The whole thing was false. He formally denied it in 1999.
So sir, I don't have a clue where the money came from. I assumed I was dealing with a legitimate businessman.
Liberal
Sukh Dhaliwal Liberal Newton—North Delta, BC
Mr. Mulroney, you did not charge GST on $225,000. You are the father of imposing this tax on Canadians, and most Canadians would like to know why you did not remit the GST.
P.C., As an Individual
The GST is a consumption tax that comes off at the border. This was for international work; the GST was not applicable.
I must say, en passant, how grateful I am, to you and the Liberal Party, for your strong defence of the GST.
[Laughter]
Liberal
Sukh Dhaliwal Liberal Newton—North Delta, BC
Mr. Mulroney, on the other side, I met with charities over the weekend and they asked me to ask you whether you donated any of this cash to any charity.
P.C., As an Individual
No, sir. Not at all. At the time, I established scholarships in the name of my late parents at St. FX University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia; St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick; and Concordia University in Montreal. Those were the principal charities. I financed all those scholarships out of my own pocket.
Liberal
Sukh Dhaliwal Liberal Newton—North Delta, BC
You declared the income tax after Karlheinz Schreiber had been arrested. If he had not been arrested, would you not have declared the income?
P.C., As an Individual
I don't know the answer to that, sir. It depends. If you look at the letters he sent me in 2004, saying that he thought I was going to get a Nobel Peace Prize for the tremendous work we were going to do on this anti-obesity project if I could get Bill and Melinda Gates to finance it, who knows? We may have had ongoing meetings and so on. But when he was arrested and charged with fraud, bribery, corruption, and income tax evasion, obviously this was not the guy I thought I had been dealing with, and it was time to bring it to a halt and resolve matters to the satisfaction of all the authorities.
Liberal
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister, for being here today.
To be frank with you, I haven't been following your career since you left office. Are you still with the same law firm you joined as soon as you left office?