Evidence of meeting #13 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was question.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo
Mr. Siksay, I apologize. I have to be fair to all members, but there will be a second round.
Liberal
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I would like to thank the witness for appearing.
I know that you've been put in a very difficult position because you have an officer of Parliament, created by statute, by law passed by the House and Senate, telling you not to speak about matters related to this investigation, and you have that order in writing, and then you have a chairman of a committee telling you that he has had a conversation with that same commissioner saying the exact opposite.
It must be difficult for you to know what you are being asked to do when an arm of Parliament is telling you not to speak about the matter, and then a chair of a parliamentary committee is telling you that you must speak to the same matter. The whole matter must be further complicated by the fact that this chairman has not provided any written confirmation of the conversation he claims to have had this morning with the Information Commissioner.
So I will pose my questions in recognition of the fact that the chairman's conduct has put you in some state of--
Liberal
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
On a point of order, Mr. Chair, if Mr. Poilievre had a problem with the chair he could have challenged the chair and he didn't, and--
Liberal
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
--all he is trying to do is cover for the government by attacking the chair. It's unacceptable at this committee.
Conservative
Liberal
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
How far will the government go to subvert Parliament? How far will it go?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo
Order.
From time to time, members don't like what others are saying during their questions, but members have the right to ask their questions, make their statements, and use their time as they wish. I get a little concerned when people start to characterize what I have said or what I have done or what I haven't done. I can defend myself, though, because we have a remedy for this, and I will propose it to the committee at the end of the meeting.
But having said that, I did stop the clock. That is not a point of order. I understand your frustration, Mr. Easter, but we have to respect the member's right to use his time in a manner that he feels is fit.
So I have just a little over a minute and a half used up, so you still have five and a half minutes, sir. Please proceed.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have a great deal of sympathy for what you are confronted with. I have to say that this chair in particular has, in prior meetings, in my view, in my judgment, done quite a good job of carrying out the business of this committee. I don't know what has happened today, but it isn't consistent with his track record, unfortunately.
My first question to you is as follows. You have served the Canadian people in your role as a member of the political staff personnel. Do you consider it to be a privilege to serve in that capacity, to serve your fellow Canadians in that role?
Former Parliamentary Affairs Director, Department of Public Works and Government Services, As an Individual
Mr. Chair, thank you for the question.
It's a great privilege to work as a political staffer in this government, absolutely.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
Right. And how long have you had political positions around Parliament Hill?
Former Parliamentary Affairs Director, Department of Public Works and Government Services, As an Individual
Thank you for the question.
Other than my stint as a parliamentary guide in 1999 and in 2001, I've been on the Hill since November 2004.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
How many people would you have guided through Parliament's halls during that time?
Former Parliamentary Affairs Director, Department of Public Works and Government Services, As an Individual
Probably tens of thousands.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
Tens of thousands--and during that time you would have elevated the importance of Parliament in their eyes.
Former Parliamentary Affairs Director, Department of Public Works and Government Services, As an Individual
Absolutely. I have a great respect for this institution and I was always interested by the political process and felt privileged to share that with visitors. Usually it's their first and only time here, and I loved to educate them on that process.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
Yes, on the importance of Parliament, on the importance of ministerial responsibility, which is one of the principles of Parliament itself.
Former Parliamentary Affairs Director, Department of Public Works and Government Services, As an Individual
Absolutely: responsible government and ministerial responsibility.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
Right, and in all the splendour of the halls of this place, you get the sense that the thing that holds it all together is the fact that ministers, in their role, defend the actions of the executive branch of government, and while they can't expect to have perfection amongst all of their employees, both ministerial and bureaucratic, they answer for their departments and their ministries.
Former Parliamentary Affairs Director, Department of Public Works and Government Services, As an Individual
That's my understanding of this, yes, absolutely.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
Right. Good. Well, given that tradition in which you were prepared for your role, that tradition of telling thousands of Canadians about Parliament, it is clear that you have a background in this parliamentary tradition and that you have shown respect for Parliament.
I want to close by pointing out that members across the way asked some extremely inappropriate questions, particularly the member for Malpeque, when he presumed an outcome of the Information Commissioner's investigation. He said that there was a breach or infraction of the law. In fact, no such breach or infraction has been found by the Information Commissioner.
Is that correct?
