Evidence of meeting #47 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 conservative.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Marcel Proulx Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
Mr. Marler, are you the current candidate in Brome—Missisquoi for the Conservative Party of Canada?
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
Thank you. I will pick up where you left off.
Why did the Conservative Party tell you that it did not want you to be a candidate in the next election?
As an Individual
The party did not give me a reason. The president of the local association told me that the party did not want me.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
Do you think the reason might have been the fact that the last time...?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo
Order, please.
Mr. Marler has indicated that he can't hear because there are a lot of conversations going on over here. Everything was going fine with Mr. Proulx, but when the Conservatives started to discuss who was going to be the first to ask questions and had little discussions, all of that was taking place within earshot of Mr. Marler.
I'll ask all honourable colleagues to please guard themselves against having loud conversations while there is questioning going on, so that everyone can hear, especially the witnesses and the questioners.
Madame, you've used about half a minute of your time. Please proceed.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
Thank you very much.
I had got to the fact that you did not want to speculate about why the Conservative Party did not want you. Do you nevertheless think it might be possible that the reason could have been because you did not want to take part in his in-and-out scheme? Could that have been the reason?
As an Individual
I do not know the reason. Mr. White told me that the party did not want me. There was no previous discussion. I am speaking of the last conversation. At that time, we were at the nominations stage. If I were to continue with the nomination process, the party was going to reject me either before or after the nominations were closed. It was very clear that he did not want me. As for why, he did not tell me and I do not know.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
I looked at your financial return to the Chief Electoral Officer. You said that you did not accept money from the Conservative Fund. However, your return shows that transfers totalling $42,933 were made by the Conservative Party between January 4, 2006 and February 27, 2006. Can you explain these amounts or ask your official agent to do so?
As an Individual
Are you saying that there was a transfer from the Conservative Party in my account?
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
Yes. In the financial return from you to Elections Canada, there are transfers from the Conservative Fund, Conservative Fund Canada.
Bloc
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
One thousand dollars. On January 18, 2006, there was $3,975.