Evidence of meeting #16 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 money.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Bloc
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
This contract provided for a commission that would be given by Airbus to IAL in the event aircraft were sold to Air Canada. Is that correct?
As an Individual
Oh, the amount varied. There was a chart showing various percentages. It depended somewhat on the number of aircraft involved. It also depended on whether or not spare parts were involved, for example. I no longer remember the exact details, but there were a number of different percentages.
As an Individual
I would tell you that right away, because I had a chart drawn up by Airbus. The amount was about $30 million US.
Bloc
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
So for 34 aircraft, I think you spoke about a commission...
As an Individual
With the total being $30 million, that amounts to about $800,000 for each aircraft, yes.
Bloc
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
I calculated that if the percentage were 2 %, the total would be $36 million Canadian of the $1.8 billion. The figure would be in that range.
As an Individual
A little lower. I think it was about 1.5 % of the total amount.
Bloc
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
Were these amounts to be paid in full to Mr. Schreiber, or was some of the money supposed to go to other individuals?
February 14th, 2008 / 9:25 a.m.
As an Individual
He always told me that these amounts were supposed to be divided as follows: 50 % for Canadians and 50 % for himself and Mr. Strauss.
Bloc
As an Individual
Yes, he was the president of Airbus and the prime minister of Bavaria.
Bloc
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
So Mr. Strauss was receiving a commission on the aircraft he sold to Canada. Is that correct?
As an Individual
He should have received the commission, because Mr. Schreiber always told me that this was for the assistance he had provided. Otherwise, he would have never received a contract of this type from Airbus. The second reason was that Mr. Strauss had lost $2 million in Canadian funds in real estate deals in Alberta.
Bloc
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
In any case, what we are particularly interested in is the Canadian side of the transaction.
Did he give you the names of the people who were supposed to receive these payments in Canada?
As an Individual
In this case, he did. He had always told me that 25 % would be for Mr. Moores and 25% for Mr. Mulroney.
As an Individual
It was $7 million and change.
I know he never paid it, but... That is, I know it now.
Bloc
As an Individual
Initially, I thought he was going to put the money into his account, but apparently he deposited very little or no money into his account. He was accustomed to making these payments in cash.
Bloc
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
So payments of this type, such as the amounts paid to Mr. Strauss and Mr. Mulroney, would have been paid in cash.