Evidence of meeting #5 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 schreiber.
A recording is available from Parliament.
12:15 p.m.
Liberal
Robert Thibault Liberal West Nova, NS
There would have been you, Mr. Strauss, and Mr. Mulroney alone.
12:15 p.m.
Liberal
Robert Thibault Liberal West Nova, NS
In the fall of 1983, you introduced Mr. Josef Strauss and his son Maxwell to Mr. Mulroney. At that time, was Mr. Mulroney aware that you represented the Strauss family business interests in Canada?
12:15 p.m.
As an Individual
I rest on my statement and I will not answer this question.
12:15 p.m.
Liberal
Robert Thibault Liberal West Nova, NS
Would Mr. Mulroney have had any reason to believe you stopped representing the Strauss family's interests in Canada over the next decade?
12:15 p.m.
As an Individual
I rest on my statement and I will not answer this question.
12:15 p.m.
Liberal
Robert Thibault Liberal West Nova, NS
In your February 1998 meeting with Mr. Mulroney in Zurich, did you and Mr. Mulroney meet alone?
12:15 p.m.
Liberal
12:15 p.m.
Liberal
12:15 p.m.
As an Individual
I think at this moment I can't help myself. I think my lawyer will not be happy, but no, it was always Mr. Doucet who arranged....
12:15 p.m.
Liberal
Robert Thibault Liberal West Nova, NS
Mr. Doucet organized this meeting. That would be Fred Doucet, who was on the staff with Mr. Mulroney and also worked as a lobbyist in Ottawa at some time?
12:15 p.m.
Liberal
Robert Thibault Liberal West Nova, NS
Mr. Elmer MacKay was a major supporter of the Thyssen Bear Head project. Did he help you arrange meetings with Mr. Mulroney, his cabinet ministers or officials?
12:15 p.m.
As an Individual
I rest on my statement and I will not answer this question.
12:15 p.m.
Liberal
Robert Thibault Liberal West Nova, NS
We know that Peter MacKay got a job working for Thyssen in Germany in the fall of 1992....
Is that it? Can I finish the question?
12:15 p.m.
Liberal
12:15 p.m.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
Mr. Schreiber, I believe it was quite predictable that you would come to the Committee without your documents and without the possibility...
Are you getting the interpretation?
12:15 p.m.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
Perfect. The sound is now coming through clearly.
I imagine that we will start the clock up again, Mr. Chairman.
It was predictable that you would come here somewhat at the last minute, without your documents, and that you would not have all of the information needed to provide precise answers to each one of our questions. You do however know some of the answers and you are therefore able to respond to some of our questions.
If you will allow me, I will give you an overview of the questions the Bloc Québecois will be asking you during the course of your appearance on Tuesday, and perhaps on the following Thursday as well and in further meetings possibly. I would like you to prepare yourself properly.
Given that it will have been very kind of me to provide you with this overview, I would, at the end, appreciate your responding to one single question. I do not want your usual answer, but the real answer. Agreed?
The questions that the Bloc Québecois plans on putting to you can be classified under three headings. The first one is the matter of the $300,000. What happened to these $300,000? Where did the money come from? Why give the money in cash? What work did Mr. Mulroney do in order to deserve these $300,000? Those questions are pretty much the ones Mr. Thibault asked. I want to know everything about this matter. That is our first series of questions. Obviously, that would also cover the political contributions you have made to various politicians, in the Conservative camp, for example.
The second part pertains to the management of the correspondence within the Prime Minister's office and Privy Council. This is a serious concern for the Bloc Québecois. We do not know if the ethical rules were respected. You have sent at least two letters to Mr. Steven Harper and he says that he has never even seen them. We find this quite troubling. I have questions for you concerning the letters you have sent and the types of answers you have received, if there have been any. I really want to get answers in this area.
Then, with regard to the handling of this whole affair by the Conservative government, how is it that the Conservative government receives letters and then does nothing? How is it that it hears the statements you make during English language televised broadcasts but that no one has lifted a finger? I would like to hear what you have to say in this regard. I have questions and sub-questions to ask in this area.
That gives you have an idea of the nature of the questions the Bloc Québecois will be asking you.
Now that I have so kindly given you advance warning, I would like to put one single question to you. I would like to get a real answer. Is that agreed? Following that, we will resume next week.
I would like to know precisely what work Mr. Mulroney did in order for you to hand him $300,000.
12:20 p.m.
As an Individual
Today I will rest on my statement and I will not answer this question. But when I am prepared, I'm happy to—
12:20 p.m.
Bloc
