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.
As an Individual
That was possible, in any case.
I was never involved in distributing the money. He did that secretly by himself. All I know about the distribution of the money is what I found out during the investigation in Germany and through the media.
Bloc
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
If I understand correctly, Airbus did not want to provide any money that would have looked like kickbacks—let's call a spade a spade—but preferred to do it through the individual who was entitled to a commission, and that person looked after paying the kickbacks. Is that correct?
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Good morning, Mr. Pelossi.
Mr. Pelossi, I'm particularly interested in the testimony you gave in response to Mr. Thibault's questioning, that in 1986 Frank Moores and Mr. Schreiber came to Zurich to open those two bank accounts with the Swiss Bank Corporation, one of which you believed was for Canadian political friends. And you've been very specific that you believed that one of those accounts was to hold the payout or the kickbacks for Brian Mulroney.
Is that your testimony?
As an Individual
Yes, yes. That's what Mr. Schreiber told me at that time.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
I'm sure all Canadians will be very interested to hear that testimony, Mr. Pelossi.
I have a question. Were you ever contacted by a Mr. John Crosbie in the early days of the Airbus investigation, in the mid- to late 1980s?
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Mr. John Crosbie was a Canadian minister at the time doing an original investigation into the Airbus sale.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
I see.
The original contract with Airbus you have spoken about cited that a commission of 2% to 2.5% would not be eligible if there were major political change within Canada; the clause would expire and would no longer apply.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Were you aware of Mr. Schreiber and friends—that is, Josef Strauss, etc.—pumping a lot of money into the campaign to dump Mr. Joe Clark, the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party, and to elect Brian Mulroney as the leader of that party?
As an Individual
Mr. Schreiber just told me sometimes that he would help, but how and the details of it I didn't know.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Part of our study is to examine the settlement from a defamation lawsuit that Mr. Mulroney filed against the Government of Canada because of the leaking of the letter that the Canadian government sent to the Swiss authorities. The letter of request was leaked.
Do you have any knowledge or information about from whom or how that information may have been leaked to a Canadian journalist?
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
I understand.
Have you talked to any other members of this committee prior to this interview today?
As an Individual
No. I don't know who is a member, but I spoke with nobody.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Do you have any information about any other money or gifts or perks that may have been given to Canadian politicians or bureaucrats?
As an Individual
No. The only thing I heard from Schreiber was that he had to give some money to a politician in Newfoundland for the Thyssen plant that was not built—for the Bear Head project.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Now, as the Bear Head project moved along and the promissory note was signed between the Government of Canada, the Government of Nova Scotia, and Thyssen, a $4 million advance was forwarded to Mr. Schreiber.
Were you still handling Mr. Schreiber's accounts at that time?
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Do you have any knowledge of how that money was distributed throughout Canada? Was it your understanding that any of that money was to go to Canadian political partners?
