Evidence of meeting #48 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 campaign.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Conservative
Dean Del Mastro Conservative Peterborough, ON
Well, we don't think so either.
Those are all my questions, Mr. Chair.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo
Okay.
I indicated to the witnesses that once we had completed our questioning round they would, like other witnesses, be given an opportunity to make a brief closing statement or comments to the committee, either to correct something that was said or to amplify or to make another appropriate comment for the committee.
So I invite you now. We're not looking for a speech, but a brief comment would be welcome, if you wish.
Why don't I start with Mr. Halicki, and we'll work across the table?
As an Individual
Perhaps there is a loophole in the Canada Elections Act. I don't know. It's up to the officials to determine that. But whenever Revenue Canada discovers there's a loophole in the Income Tax Act, they have the finance department draft the appropriate legislation, which gets included in the budget. It goes before Parliament, and the people of Canada can vote on it through their elected representatives. This is the avenue and the approach I believe the committee should take, or the Parliament of Canada should take, or Elections Canada. If there's a problem here and they wish some changes, it should go through Parliament and be put to a vote, and the people, through their representatives, can then express their wishes.
In our campaign, we followed every letter of the law. We were all very conscious of ethical and legal behaviour. We stressed that in all aspects of our behaviour and of our bookkeeping and accounting. There was no funny business.
I really would like to see this wrap up to a logical end and, in fairness, be used in assessing the appropriate outcome.
Thank you.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo
Thank you kindly.
Mr. Roberts, would you care to make a closing statement?
As an Individual
I would just like to thank the committee for the opportunity to be here and to speak on this. I feel very strongly that there could have been benefits to the 67 campaigns had the money been allowed to be used on our campaigns. It certainly would have then benefited, through Elections Canada, from a rebate. It would have been a positive outcome to the whole thing. I'm sorry it wasn't done that way. It seems that there are questions here that need to be discussed, and I'm glad to see that there is somebody doing that.
Thank you.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo
Thank you very kindly for that, to all of you.
That concludes our session with these witnesses. In a moment I'm going to suspend.
Conservative
Gary Goodyear Conservative Cambridge, ON
I have a point of order first, Mr. Chair, before you suspend.
Conservative
Gary Goodyear Conservative Cambridge, ON
I thought you were going to dismiss the witnesses. You can certainly do that, Mr. Chair, but I don't want you to just grab that gavel and nail it down. I have a concern that I'd like to raise with you on a point of order. But you can accept me when you wish.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo
The witnesses are welcome to leave the table now, if they wish, or they can stay until I suspend. You're going to hear this in the room anyway, so there's no hurry to have any commotion there.
Mr. Goodyear, carry on. You had a point of order.
Conservative
Gary Goodyear Conservative Cambridge, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I wish to ask you to clarify on your procedures and the procedures of your office. I was handed a document just a few minutes ago that confirms, I believe, that a number of the witnesses who are supposed to be here in the next round will not be coming. I'm going to tell you why, and I need an explanation of the efficiency or lack thereof in your office.
Mr. Irving Gerstein—
Conservative
Gary Goodyear Conservative Cambridge, ON
I'm sorry, but you have said that these people received summonses. Mr. Gerstein's housekeeper got the summons. He's not even in the country.
You also didn't respond to another witness.
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo
We can deal with this when we resume.
Those witnesses have not been called to come.... I don't know if they're here, and I don't know—
Conservative