Evidence of meeting #20 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 chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
12:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo
I want to move on now to Mr. Easter.
You've had your say, sir.
Mr. Easter, and then Mr. Baird.
12:35 p.m.
Liberal
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I do think the template will be helpful if we have to make the decision in terms of the summonses that are out on two individuals, if they do not show by Wednesday.
On a couple of points by Mr. Poilievre, where they talk about ministerial responsibility, yes, ministerial responsibility is very key to Parliament. But we understand that our job at committee to establish some facts in terms of this particular issue, and if we're going to establish some facts, then we need to talk to the people who are actually involved in the process.
We saw how important that was when we had Mr. Togneri here. I don't have the minutes in front of me, but if you recall, he went back and said he had made a stupid mistake. He admitted that he had made a stupid mistake, and he also named Jillian Andrews as one of the people to whom he had turned over the information.
That is getting at the individuals involved who have the information. That's what's important. That's what our committee is all about.
In terms of.... I'm on that, Mr. Chair.
12:40 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo
I'm hearing the word “relevance” over here, Mr. Easter. A review of testimony is one thing, but in regard to this document, we're trying to find out whether we're going forward with this. We need some input from the members, and I hope you will get there.
12:40 p.m.
Liberal
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
Yes, Mr. Chair.
What I'm getting to is what I believe our authority as a committee is, in terms of our right to deal with this issue. That's the whole argument coming forward from Minister Baird and Parliamentary Secretary Mr. Poilievre.
I question sometimes why we would have the Minister of Transport trying to come before a committee to represent Mr. Soudas, who works for the Prime Minister's Office, when Mr. Poilievre is the parliamentary secretary and would I think be in a better position to know what Mr. Soudas does than the Minister of Transport.
In any event, as I said at an earlier meeting, Mr. Chair, Mr. Hill, the leader of the government in the House of Commons, said “We recognize that committees do have the authority to call for persons and papers”. We do have that authority, and that's what this hearing is all about.
Mr. Baird tried to come here to spin the government line. I'm saying here what our rights really are as a committee.
The last point I want to make is that the individual who is supposed to be here today.... There is much made of ministerial staff who are young and inexperienced. Mr. Soudas, who has been, as you mentioned at the beginning of the meeting...he can't be found. He's in hiding somewhere in Langevin Block.
I think the minister makes the point—
12:40 p.m.
Liberal
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
—that while he can't be served with the summons and can't be found for that, he still is on CBC and on Power Play and some of the other programs. He speaks far more than any of the cabinet ministers do, yet he's in hiding.
Minister Baird speaks a lot, but sometimes he doesn't make much sense.
In any event, Mr. Chair, with that little overview that I think the template is important, I would move that we adjourn.
12:40 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo
It's not debatable.
(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
We are adjourned.