Information & Ethics Committee on Nov. 29th, 2007

[Russ Hiebert, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC]

Okay.

Mr. Schreiber, are you aware of the letter submitted by the Privy Council Office that was published in the National Post on November 19? It states, and I quote:

...the Privy Council Office processes all incoming correspondence to the Prime Minister. In the case of correspondence from Karlheinz Schreiber, it was decided that replying would be inappropriate as a result of the author being the subject of an extradition hearing, as well as his involvement in other litigation. Finally, I want to reconfirm here for your readers the accuracy of statements made by the Prime Minister's Office, that the Privy Council Office did not forward the March 29, 2007 letter to the Prime Minister's correspondence unit.

Are you aware of that letter?

[Karlheinz Schreiber]

No.

[Russ Hiebert, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC]

Mr. Schreiber, have you ever held a membership in or donated funds to the Conservative Party of Canada since its creation in 2003?

[Karlheinz Schreiber]

No.

[Russ Hiebert, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC]

Mr. Schreiber, did you have an agreement with Mr. Mulroney? Yes or no.

[Karlheinz Schreiber]

Yes.

[Russ Hiebert, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC]

You had an agreement. Okay. Can you tell us when you established that agreement?

[Karlheinz Schreiber]

It was at Harrington Lake.

[Russ Hiebert, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC]

Do you know the date of that meeting?

[Karlheinz Schreiber]

Everybody knows. It was June 23.

[Russ Hiebert, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC]

Did you offer--

[Karlheinz Schreiber]

Or was it July? I'm not too sure any more. It was July, I think.

But here, it's exactly these questions.... You see, I don't have my documents. I'm sorry; I am not going to answer any further questions.

[Russ Hiebert, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC]

Mr. Schreiber, did you ever offer Mr. Mulroney employment--yes or no?

[Karlheinz Schreiber]

I rest on my statement and I will not answer the questioning any more.

[Russ Hiebert, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC]

Clearly, Mr. Chair, the witness is being uncooperative. There's no point in my asking any further questions if he is not prepared to even consider answering them.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

Mr. Hiebert, you still have about three minutes remaining.

Mr. Schreiber, under the proceedings of Parliament, you must respond to the questions of the members unless you can justify to us that you cannot answer because you need papers, papers that we accept you did not have access to. I do understand your fine point that a slight error might have damages, and we will give you the benefit of the doubt, but I want you to affirm back to us that you understand you are not permitted to refuse to answer any questions, although you may say to us that you are not prepared to answer questions.

If we understand each other clearly, then I think Mr. Hiebert can carry on. You may say that you are not prepared to answer but not that you refuse to answer, please.

If that's clear, I'm going to give Mr. Hiebert an extra minute or two to go back to a couple of questions and receive your official answer, so that we are all very clear. Would that be all right?

[Karlheinz Schreiber]

Yes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

Thank you.

Mr. Hiebert, you have about four and a half minutes remaining.

[Russ Hiebert, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Again, Mr. Schreiber, a yes or a no answer is sufficient. Did you offer Mr. Mulroney employment?

[Karlheinz Schreiber]

I am not prepared to answer that.

[Russ Hiebert, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC]

Mr. Schreiber, after Mr. Mulroney resigned as Prime Minister, did you ever have an agreement with him to act in connection with any specific ongoing proceeding, transaction, negotiation, or case to which the government of the day was a party--yes or no?

[Karlheinz Schreiber]

I am not prepared to answer that.

[Russ Hiebert, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC]

Mr. Chair, if this proceeds, there is no point in my asking these questions.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

Maybe we can facilitate. Would you like Mr. Schreiber to amplify on his answer that he's not prepared to answer that last question?

[Russ Hiebert, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC]

If he could explain to the committee, it would be very helpful .