Evidence of meeting #46 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 witnesses.
A recording is available from Parliament.
11:35 a.m.
Conservative
Gary Goodyear Conservative Cambridge, ON
We're not interrupting witnesses, and we're not interrupting questions. I have a courteous point of order.
I've heard Mr. Martin across the way, and I think he raises a good point that some of these proceedings--hang in there, Pat--that we just extend--
11:35 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo
Mr. Goodyear, just a moment. I made a ruling. We've addressed this point of order from Mr. Lemieux. I've made a decision that Mr. Del Mastro will proceed to finish the last two minutes of his questioning. That is a decision of the chair. I do not want any more debate on it. But if you don't like it you have an option: you can challenge the decision of the chair. Is that your wish, sir?
11:35 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo
I am now going to finish with an honourable member who was in the middle of his questioning.
11:35 a.m.
Conservative
11:35 a.m.
Conservative
Dean Del Mastro Conservative Peterborough, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Goudie, you mentioned the size of your riding. I have a fairly big riding. It's nowhere near the size of Labrador. I imagine that in covering that you were quite busy. So in saying that just under $2,100 in election campaign expenses were paid for in your riding, it's possible that you didn't see them. You're not saying that no ads ran with your tag on them; you're just saying you weren't aware of ads that ran with your tag on them in Labrador. Is that correct?
11:35 a.m.
As an Individual
I was not aware that any ads dealing with the Labrador riding campaign were run. But I talked with both Mr. Barnes and, more specifically, Mrs. Singleton. When contact was first made with her by the Conservative Party of Canada, she asked whether or not the funding could be used by us to purchase television advertising. She was told no, that it would be a part of the national campaign. As a result, there was no identification of the candidate or the Labrador riding, period.
11:35 a.m.
Conservative
Dean Del Mastro Conservative Peterborough, ON
So none of the ads that ran in Labrador were tagged. The expenses you claimed, the $2,097.... They did not have a tag on them for you.
11:35 a.m.
As an Individual
There was no tag in the television advertising--nothing dealing with the Labrador riding.
I should also clarify that we were told by the Conservative Party of Canada that we could claim 60% of the money that was transferred to our campaign. However, during the candidate's election return, Elections Canada informed us that we could not claim it, and therefore we did not.
11:35 a.m.
Liberal
August 11th, 2008 / 11:35 a.m.
Bloc
Richard Nadeau Bloc Gatineau, QC
Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
Good day to all the witnesses. First of all, do not allow yourself to be impressed by our colleagues in the Conservative Party. This debate should have been held in the Procedure and House Affairs Committee, and a member of the Conservative Party—I will not give his name, but Mr. Goodyear was the Chair... There has been a spanner in the works for seven months to prevent you from speaking. Their behaviour has been absolutely deplorable, and certainly not a model to be followed.
11:35 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo
Monsieur Nadeau, I'm sorry. Mr. Goodyear has called a point of order on relevance.
11:35 a.m.
Conservative
Gary Goodyear Conservative Cambridge, ON
The opening statement by the honourable member is not only untrue, it's irrelevant.
11:35 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo
Mr. Goodyear, again that is not a point of order.
Mr. Nadeau, please carry on.
11:35 a.m.
Bloc
Richard Nadeau Bloc Gatineau, QC
Mr. Caldwell, did you feel that you were being forced to take part in this scheme by the Conservative Party that you were representing during the last election?
11:35 a.m.
As an Individual
No, I did it willingly because I had confidence in Mr. Rivard. However, when the time came to clarify things with Elections Canada, my agent and I acted on our own and declined the assistance of the Conservative Party.
11:35 a.m.
As an Individual
We turned it down after reading the act in detail and after learning that Elections Canada said that it was not an acceptable expense. We never saw the contracts or received the invoices. This expense had nothing to do with our riding and had not been authorized by my official agent. It seemed reasonably clear to me, within the spirit of the act, that it was not an expense that was acceptable in our riding.
11:40 a.m.
Bloc
Richard Nadeau Bloc Gatineau, QC
You thus rejected the underhanded dealings of the national party and acted otherwise. When did you become aware of the fact that the process set in motion by the officials of the Conservative Party were illegal? I will use the word "questionable" rather than "illegal".
11:40 a.m.
Bloc
Richard Nadeau Bloc Gatineau, QC
Was it during or after the campaign that you noticed there was something questionable going on?
11:40 a.m.
As an Individual
It was when Elections Canada was looking into the matter and I went into the question in greater detail with my official agent.