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.
February 12th, 2008 / 5:20 p.m.
Liberal
Robert Thibault Liberal West Nova, NS
You made the arrangements for that meeting. On what basis would you have organized that meeting? You were no longer employed at that time by Schreiber.
As an Individual
Yes, as I said before, Mr. Schreiber, having been a previous client, made a habit of talking with me. He knew I could get hold of Mr. Mulroney if need be. He asked me if I would and if I would set up that meeting—and I did.
Liberal
Robert Thibault Liberal West Nova, NS
Pardon my misunderstanding here, but I used to be in a very small business, and anybody who owed me $7 had no trouble reaching me. If somebody owed me $7, I was very available to them. But if somebody was going to give me $100,000 in cash in an envelope, I can't imagine they would need an intermediary to find me. Schreiber's a client, Mulroney is his employee in this situation, he's working for him, and if he is to receive money, I find it difficult to believe he needed somebody--
As an Individual
I don't want to get into the particulars, because I don't know the particulars, but my understanding is that the meeting in Mirabel was the meeting that set out the particulars, or at least that's what was represented to me by Mr. Schreiber when he asked me to organize the meeting. He said he wanted to meet with Mr. Mulroney to suggest a retainership in the international arena, and could I arrange that meeting.
Liberal
Robert Thibault Liberal West Nova, NS
Did you ever contact Schreiber's offices and ask him to contact Brian Mulroney? Did you ever contact Schreiber? Did the contacts ever go the other way?
As an Individual
I'm sorry, I'm not sure I understand your question. Are you referring to this meeting?
Liberal
Liberal
Robert Thibault Liberal West Nova, NS
Were you the go-between the other way? Did you ever contact Schreiber to organize meetings for Brian Mulroney on these matters?
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
Thank you very much.
Thank you, Mr. Doucet, for coming here to testify.
Karlheinz Schreiber wrote to Brian Mulroney on April 14, 2007. I will read in English what he wrote to him.
On March 20, 2007 your lawyer Kenneth Prehogan sent a letter to my lawyer Richard Anka Q.C.
He wrote: “Mr. Mulroney denies that he owes any money to Mr. Schreiber.”
I have a different understanding and I recommend that you will ask your friend Fred Doucet helping you to refresh your memory concerning the money and what it was for.
That was on April 14, 2007, in a letter that was not supposed to be made public at the time. On May 8, 2007, in a threatening letter—it could be called a threatening letter from Mr. Schreiber to Mr. Mulroney—he said he was prepared to make public—he uses the word “disclose”—the fact that Mr. Mulroney received payments from GCI, Frank Moores, Fred Doucet, Gary Ouellet:
“that I was asked by Fred Doucet to transfer funds to your Lawyer in Geneva, (Airbus)”.
Understandably, these letters were not intended for public release. In fact, they were private letters.
How can you explain the fact that Mr. Schreiber wrote letters last year saying that you knew how much money Brian Mulroney had received and that he was going to ask you to refresh Mr. Mulroney's memory?
Subsequently, in December, you issued a press release indicating that, no, that was false, all those insinuations and statements were false.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
You made a public statement. I do not know if it was through a press release or... It was a statement by Fred Doucet issued to the media.
As an Individual
Oh, yes, okay. I will try to answer you in French, in Acadian, if I may. If I make any mistakes, I apologize.
I have no idea why.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
That is a good start, Mr. Doucet, a good start. Is that Acadian? Well, I speak Acadian.
As an Individual
The expression we use is “j'ai backé mon car”. Let me back up.
I do not remember at all. I have no recollection of those events and I have nothing to tell you about the matter. I have absolutely nothing to tell you about the matter.
Bloc
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
Recently, but not last year? Mr. Mulroney did not forward those letters to you?
