Evidence of meeting #7 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 letter.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON
Well, you haven't taken it back...or have you? You've got a lawsuit going on where you're suing him for it.
As an Individual
Yes, but the $200,000.... We speak about $500,000. The $200,000 I took back.
NDP
Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON
No, you didn't understand the question, Mr. Schreiber.
You gave him in this initial time the $100,000 and you didn't get a receipt for it. You subsequently--I think on two occasions--gave him an additional $200,000. Did you get a receipt or any documentation acknowledging the receipt of that $200,000?
NDP
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo
Mr. Comartin, thank you kindly.
We're going to move now to Mr. Russ Hiebert.
Conservative
Russ Hiebert Conservative South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC
Thank you, Chair.
Mr. Schreiber, in your May 8 letter to Mr. Mulroney, you allege a conspiracy or a cover-up, and I quote those words “a conspiracy and cover-up action” by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Can you tell the committee the name of the justice minister who signed your surrender order for extradition to Germany on October 31, 2004?
Conservative
Russ Hiebert Conservative South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC
Okay. Could you tell me which political party Mr. Cotler is a member of?
Conservative
Russ Hiebert Conservative South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC
Okay. So is it your testimony that the Liberal Party is also part of this “conspiracy and cover-up”?
As an Individual
Yes. They initiated the whole thing against me in Germany in 1995.
Conservative
Russ Hiebert Conservative South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC
We understand from the surrender order that would have you extradited to Germany that you're facing charges there. Can you tell us briefly what charges you're facing in Germany?
As an Individual
It's known what is on the record of the case. It's tax evasion, fraud, bribery, all this stuff. But if you had read the letter from the Swiss, which is in the Department of Justice document, you would see what nonsense this is.
Conservative
Russ Hiebert Conservative South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC
Okay. You've mentioned that Irwin Cotler was the justice minister at the time who signed your extradition and he's a Liberal Party member. Is it your belief that the Liberal Party is also part of this cover-up?
As an Individual
At the beginning, yes. If it's a question of the Liberal Party.... I accuse mainly the IAG from the justice department.
Conservative
Russ Hiebert Conservative South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC
Okay. Is it also your belief that the government of Germany is part of this conspiracy and cover-up?
As an Individual
No. The prosecutors in Augsburg are together with the people from the justice department. The German government has nothing to do with those cases at all.
Conservative
Russ Hiebert Conservative South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC
Mr. Chair, it appears that the May 2007 letter is just another item in Mr. Schreiber's desperate campaign to avoid extradition to Germany.
I draw the committee's attention to a letter that Mr. Schreiber wrote on July 20, 2006, where he makes some statements. It's in the Mulroney binder, a letter from Mr. Schreiber to Mr. Mulroney, dated July 20, 2006. The letter makes some statements that completely contradict his letter of May 8, 2007.
I'll quote. It says, “You and I are the innocent victims of this vendetta and you are still the prime target”--referring to Mr. Mulroney.
It goes on to state, “May I state for the record, that my testimony under oath in prior legal proceedings is the only correct description of our business arrangement. You”—referring to Mr. Mulroney—“after returning to private life, at my request, agreed to advise and consult me in certain business affairs.”
Then a little bit later, it says, “There is no “Airbus Affair” involving Brian Mulroney and furthermore there is nothing to hide.”
So, Mr. Chair, my question to Mr. Schreiber and to this committee is about the apparent contradictions between his letter of July 20, 2006, and his letter of May 8, 2007—and in fact also with some pre-existing testimony given before this committee and previous hearings. I draw that to your attention.
I will share the balance of my time with Mr. Van Kesteren.