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.
3:25 p.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Webber, you were the official agent for Mr. Marler. Did you share Mr. Marler's views that what the party was asking you to do, accepting money into the account and then spitting it right back out, didn't pass the smell test as far as you were concerned?
3:25 p.m.
As an Individual
I did not testify to that effect. I did not say that.
If you want, ask me the question again, but I did not say anything about the propriety of what I was asked. I simply said “I refuse” because I didn't understand what I was being asked. If I was unclear, I apologize to the committee.
3:25 p.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Well, let me rephrase that.
Mr. Webber, do you agree with Mr. Lowry's assessment of the practice, the plan, the election financing practice that we're hearing testimony about today, that there's nothing wrong with it?
3:25 p.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
You don't know.
Mr. Lowry, who from the Conservative Party spoke to you about whether or not you needed to attend at this meeting? Who specifically from the Conservative Party talked recently about your appearance here today?
3:25 p.m.
As an Individual
I would have contacted a number of people—the Ontario regional organizers and the Toronto organizers—because, as a president, that's who I contact.
3:25 p.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
And did she say that attendance at a parliamentary committee, when you're summonsed, was optional? Who would have given you that impression?
3:30 p.m.
As an Individual
The first time that I was asked I contacted Tasha and Karma and told them that I wasn't planning on going, but asked what is the opinion of the Conservative Party? Because, after all, when I walk in the door, I'm a Conservative; I'm not an independent. I'm still a member of the party. I happen to be the president of the riding association, so I have a whole bunch of—
3:30 p.m.
As an Individual
I told her I wasn't attending, and they said that was fine.
3:30 p.m.
As an Individual
Later I asked Carmen, and naturally, in every good organization, one would say that you should all be talking from the same points, and so she said they would give me some points. I didn't get any and decided I didn't want any. Even if she gave them to me, it would never have mattered, because I had made the decision a while ago that in any riding association that's under 10%, or just barely at 10%, you have to do something to get money from the government, a government refund.
3:30 p.m.
As an Individual
So Carmen told me on Monday that the party wouldn't really be thrilled if I went, and I told her “Tough, I'm going anyway.”
3:30 p.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
I see. Well, thank you for that.
Mr. Lowry, when you signed off on your final financial statements that you sent in to Elections Canada for this report, you were swearing and attesting that you believed that everything in there, to the best of your knowledge, was true. How can you say it's true that this $49,898, or whatever it was, was in fact a local campaign expense?
3:30 p.m.
As an Individual
Because when I do an election sign, I put down “authorized by the official agent”, according to the record. When I do brochures, I say “authorized by the official agent”. And on the media buys I heard on the radio, and on a variety of other things, it says “Paid by Trinity—Spadina Riding Association”.
Now, I might argue that by saying “Trinity—Spadina riding”, the Conservative riding association doesn't necessarily translate very much into votes for Sam Goldstein, but that's an internal point of view.
3:30 p.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
But with the tag, I think you have a valid point.
But you didn't buy $49,000 worth of radio ads for Trinity—Spadina, as the rest must have been TV ads or something else?
3:30 p.m.
As an Individual
I really don't know where they went. All I know is that I had a cap. I used $50,000 of it. It went into advertising. Retail Media must have put it out. Nobody's gone back to Retail Media and said, you ripped off the taxpayer and you'll be—
