Information & Ethics Committee on May 13th, 2010

[Frank Valeriote, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

Have you been advised by anyone as to the parameters? Have you been given instructions or parameters within which you must make your decisions, or do you just have kind of a full and free rein over these decisions?

[Ryan Sparrow]

In the last six months, I believe it was 22% of media inquiries that were altered. I think that's the number you previously quoted. I would suggest that's actually quite a low figure.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

Thank you.

Madame Freeman, vous avez la parole.

[Carole Freeman, Bloc, Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC]

You said that in the past six months, 22% of inquiries were altered. You also said you were the person who receives all inquiries from the media. Is that right?

[Ryan Sparrow]

I'm involved with overseeing the final approval of all media inquiries, yes.

[Carole Freeman, Bloc, Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC]

You oversee the final approval of the inquiries. Who receives media inquiries in the minister's office?

[Ryan Sparrow]

If they go to the minister's office, it will be myself or the press secretary. If they go to the department, there's a departmental media line.

[Carole Freeman, Bloc, Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC]

Do you see them all?

[Ryan Sparrow]

Correct.

[Carole Freeman, Bloc, Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC]

So, in the 51 cases where changes were made... The minister appeared before us. Furthermore, you confirmed the fact that there were 235 calls and that 51 of them required changes. That means that 22% of them needed changes. Is that right?

[Ryan Sparrow]

Yes.

[Carole Freeman, Bloc, Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC]

Would it be possible to submit those media inquiries, as well as the 22% that were changed?

[Ryan Sparrow]

I don't have those with me at this time.

[Carole Freeman, Bloc, Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC]

Is it possible to submit them to the committee so we can examine them and see the procedure you follow?

[Ryan Sparrow]

I believe they're available through access to information.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

Mr. Sparrow, the member has politely asked if you could table them. I suspect the next thing is to ask the chair to order you to produce them.

Yes, they are available, and I realize that, and I think it's the request of the member that in fact you are ordered to provide them to the committee. Will you do that?

[Ryan Sparrow]

I'm unaware of the rules pertaining to that, so I'll have to...

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

You can check the rules, but the committee has asked you to do that and in fact ordered you to do it under our right to call for persons, papers, and records, okay?

[An hon. member]

A point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

Now to the extent...or unless there is a reason why they are not... But this is a request for information.

[An hon. member]

From one committee member--

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

Sorry?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

Just a moment.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

Point of order, Mr. Chair.