Information & Ethics Committee on Dec. 11th, 2018

[Ryan O'Connor]

Olivia was an individual who delivered text messages to individuals to determine whom they would be voting for in the provincial election.

[Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

Okay. How many text messages did Olivia deliver?

[Ryan O'Connor]

Several text messages were sent out.

[Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

Do you mean a million or do you mean several?

[Ryan O'Connor]

I mean several different varieties, yes. Hundreds of thousands of text messages were sent out during the provincial election.

[Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

Were there a million text messages sent out?

[Ryan O'Connor]

It's close to that, yes.

[Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

How many?

[Ryan O'Connor]

It was hundreds of thousands. I don't have the exact figure with me right now.

[Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

Jeff has said there were over a million.

[Ryan O'Connor]

Yes.

[Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

So would you agree with Jeff?

[Ryan O'Connor]

Yes.

[Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

Okay. So how many phone calls were made?

[Ryan O'Connor]

Hundreds of thousands.

[Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

Hundreds of thousands. How many do you think Jeff would say if he were here today?

[Ryan O'Connor]

He can say whatever he wants, Mr. Erskine-Smith. I don't understand what you're getting at.

[Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

He has said it was over 2.5 million calls.

[Ryan O'Connor]

Yes, exactly.

[Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

Is that hundreds of thousands?

[Ryan O'Connor]

It's in excess of that.

[Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

It's in excess of that. It's 2.5 million calls.

[Ryan O'Connor]

Yes.

[Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

Can you be a little more exact in your answers?

[Ryan O'Connor]

Okay.