Evidence of meeting #14 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.
3:45 p.m.
As an Individual
That $5 million constituted kickbacks on the sale of aircraft by Airbus to Air Canada, on the sale of helicopters from MBB Helicopter to the Coast Guard and on the so-called Bear Head project. You have to look at things in context. I'm trying to answer your question; I'll conclude. In my opinion, the cash paid as a retainer after he left power, for other work, unrelated work, has nothing to do with that.
3:45 p.m.
Bloc
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
So that lawyer was talking about a perfectly legitimate transaction.
3:45 p.m.
Bloc
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
That legitimate transaction could explain the basis of certain rumours that were circulating; you no doubt understood that.
3:45 p.m.
Bloc
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
Why, at that point, didn't you advise that it should be stated publicly that that transaction with Mr. Schreiber had taken place? Why didn't you advise Mr. Mulroney to say that and to explain immediately that, if rumours were circulating that Mr. Schreiber had given him money, it was for a legitimate contract?
3:45 p.m.
As an Individual
Why didn't I advise him to do that? You know, I had a lot of conversations with him. I never said I didn't advise that.
3:45 p.m.
Bloc
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
When did you learn that Mr. Mulroney had not only received cash, but that he had also kept it in denominations of $1,000?
3:45 p.m.
Bloc
3:45 p.m.
Bloc
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
As you no doubt understood, that makes the transaction and the relations between Mr. Mulroney and Mr. Schreiber seem shady. When a prime minister receives $1,000 bills in a brown envelope, most people think it's not for very good reasons. If he also keeps them in a safe deposit box for years and only realizes—
3:45 p.m.
Bloc
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
Don't you think that makes this affair even more suspicious?
3:45 p.m.
Bloc
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
Didn't you inquire into what he had done with the cash he had received?
3:45 p.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Thank you.
Mr. Lavoie, you were instrumental in helping Mr. Mulroney win the $2.1 million libel suit against the government for linking him to the Airbus affair. I think that's generally accepted. In fact, in the settlement that was finally reached--the $2.1 million--roughly $1.4 million was for legal expenses and went to lawyers, and fully $587,721 went to you, or your firm, NATIONAL Public Relations. Is that a fair assessment of the settlement?
