Evidence of meeting #15 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 schreiber.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
You cannot refresh Mr. Mulroney's memory concerning the money and what it was for?
As an Individual
The first time I heard about the money was when I met Mr. Schreiber on February 4, 2000, when he told me that the payments were in the amount of $250,000.
Bloc
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
So you are giving us another figure. The figure we had was $300,000. No one knew whether it was $300,000 or $225,000 and now you are telling us that it was $250,000.
As an Individual
I am telling you what Mr. Schreiber told me. I am not the one who said it; he is the one who told me.
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
When you were at the hotel in New York, you saw an envelope change hands. First of all, you were not on a cell phone, you were not looking out the window, you were sitting across from Mr. Schreiber. You saw and heard everything that happened.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
When Mr. Schreiber gave Mr. Mulroney an envelope, it seems to me that it should have been apparent that it was cash, and not a cheque.
As an Individual
I will reply in English, to make sure I do not make any mistakes.
I don't remember anything about the envelope, other than that it was legal size. It was handed to him as they were rising and we were leaving. I didn't pay particular attention to it. It never struck my mind that it was particularly thick, if that's what you're asking. I don't have a precise recollection. This was, after all, a good number of years ago.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
Did Mr. Mulroney make a gesture as if to say “No, no, no” or “oh, more cash”? Did he take the envelope with a natural gesture, as if to say “Thank you, I earned this”?
As an Individual
From what I remember, Mr. Mulroney had a bag, and I think he took it and put it in the bag. We were standing at that point and I ...
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
In Mr. Mulroney's report to Mr. Schreiber, he told him, for instance, that he had met with official representatives in China.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
What kind of response did he get from the Chinese leadership?
As an Individual
I told you more or less everything I remember in my statement. I do not remember the discussions exactly. I know there was some back and forth between him and Mr. Schreiber. They shared some documents, but I cannot say exactly what was discussed in the case of Chinese leadership or in meetings with Mr. Yeltsin or Mr. Mitterrand. I cannot tell you any more about it.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
And none of this made an impression on you? If it were me, for instance, and I heard someone say they had met with Mitterrand two months ago during their last trip to France, and they told me what was said during their conversation, I think I would record everything.
As an Individual
I understand.
I travelled internationally and organized many summits, such as the economic summit, the summit of la Francophonie, the Commonwealth summit, and I attended all bilateral and multilateral summits during my years with Mr. Mulroney. Seeing him negotiating with important people was nothing new for me.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
I have one last question, but I do not think I have much time left.
NDP
Thomas Mulcair NDP Outremont, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Doucet, hello and thank you for being here.
I would like to return to the question raised by my Bloc colleague a moment ago. She mentioned Chinese leadership, Yeltsin, Mitterrand. Throughout your testimony, you have been very careful to always make the distinction between, first of all, what you yourself know and what you do not remember precisely or exactly, and so on.
I am going to ask you a question—and now it is my turn to use a qualifier—a precise question. What personal knowledge do you have of any meetings between Brian Mulroney and the so-called Chinese leadership, the former Russian president, Boris Yeltsin, or former French president, François Mitterrand? What personal knowledge do you have about a meeting of that nature?
