Evidence of meeting #57 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was investigations.
A video is available from Parliament.
Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
We've done everything we can. To access one cost-saving measure, we could have all our investigations virtually in the office. We have an internal system set up now whereby we can, not televise them, but do them electronically. The reserve would be in the event that we should have to travel.
The other thing is the updating of our IT systems. There's always something that needs to be helped and we have some of those items coming up this year.
Liberal
Wayne Long Liberal Saint John—Rothesay, NB
Obviously, you're not asking for an increase, so you're saying that you currently do have the necessary financial resources, the budget resources, to carry out your mandate.
Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
Yes. Uncharacteristically, it appears, we seem to have enough money to carry out our mandate.
Liberal
Wayne Long Liberal Saint John—Rothesay, NB
Okay.
One of the things I read was that an important part of your mandate is to raise awareness about the act and the code. Can you share with me your plans, what you're doing with respect to moving forward to raise awareness?
Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
We have always maintained a lot of advisories, guidelines, and things on our website in many different areas. We send e-mails out to MPs and public office holders as necessary if there's a specific issue to be dealt with. We give talks to virtually anybody who requests one. We offer, once a year, sessions with each caucus.
What else do we do? We do lots of outreach. We meet with people from other countries as well who request to meet with us, because our system is generally well respected.
There are many things we do. We answer media requests constantly.
Liberal
Wayne Long Liberal Saint John—Rothesay, NB
Can you talk about your website? Are you updating the website?
Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
Yes, we are constantly looking to improve our website.
Do we have a program next year on the website?
Director, Corporate Management, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
Yes, next year we're looking at updating the information on our website.
Liberal
Wayne Long Liberal Saint John—Rothesay, NB
What percentage of your budget is for promotion through social media?
Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
It's hard to say. We look at our budget in terms of the different sections, and the section that looks after communications also has other responsibilities. It wouldn't be terribly expensive, because we're doing it on the Internet. Our presentations are normally in town. Very rarely we do them out of town, although sometimes we do, if we happen to be in a particular area. Of course, we can use the Internet to communicate now with any office. Actually, then, our communication expenditures are not expensive.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Blaine Calkins
Thank you, Mr. Long.
We now move to our next member, for seven minutes.
Mr. Kelly, please.
Conservative
Pat Kelly Conservative Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB
Thank you.
Thank you for appearing today. I was glad to hear your comments about the sufficiency of your resources. I heard the comments about having a healthy contingency and being able to return money to the treasury. It sounds like prudent management. You're to be commended for that.
You spoke of contingencies and exceptional circumstances. These may come up from time to time. I have a question, though. We and our colleagues in the NDP have repeatedly asked the Prime Minister in the House whether he has met with you or not in relation to your investigation of his trip to the Aga Khan's island and his illegal use of a private aircraft.
Now, the Prime Minister—
Conservative
Liberal
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Blaine Calkins
I'd have to be allowed to hear the entirety of the question to determine whether there's relevance.
Mr. Kelly.
Conservative
Pat Kelly Conservative Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB
Thank you. I'll come to the point.
We are talking about exceptional circumstances. This is an unprecedented investigation, and we want to ensure that there are adequate resources. While we're trying to assess whether the office has adequate resources, we need to know whether he has met with you or whether there's a reason that he can't answer that question. We are talking about resources, and this is an unprecedented development in your office.
Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
I'm going to start by explaining our process. When I do an examination or an inquiry, my standard process and almost the very first thing I do is to notify the person complained about and notify the person who complained that I'm proceeding. Then I contact the person complained about and say, “I'd like to set up a meeting.” I ask for documentation and I then proceed through the investigation.
At the end of the process I have another set of activities. I let them see a lot of the evidence that they might want to respond to, and then I allow a final meeting.
That's the process, and I follow that process in every case.
With respect to whether I had a meeting with the Prime Minister or he with me, I'm not at liberty to disclose. There are confidentiality requirements in the act that say that I must carry out my investigations in private.
Conservative
Pat Kelly Conservative Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB
Is there any necessity for him to refuse to answer the question and to be clear to Canadians about whether or not he's had the meeting?
Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
There is not an absolute rule, but we generally ask that people keep the activities and the inquiry questions and whatnot confidential, because we don't want to interfere with the investigation process. That, however, is a request. There is no rule in the act; we're very careful, however, to keep our investigative activities confidential.
Conservative
Pat Kelly Conservative Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB
I'm not asking you to answer whether the meeting has happened; we're just concerned about the Prime Minister's refusal to answer the question and wondering whether there's any reason he cannot.
I see that my friend is concerned about the relevance. This is highly relevant, because we are talking about estimates today. In trying to guess which investigation is suspended now and which is going to continue, I note that investigations need to have adequate resources to complete. I want to make sure that we have adequate resources to ensure that your office can do its work.
Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
Right.
Conservative
Pat Kelly Conservative Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB
Would these be the types of exceptional circumstances that you have? Are you comfortable that your own contingencies will be able to see you through the current investigation that you have open, and perhaps the one that's suspended and might carry on?
Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
I'm not sure what you mean. I don't know what exceptional circumstances have to do with the carrying on of an investigation; I'm sorry.
Conservative
Pat Kelly Conservative Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB
Well, it's unprecedented. You haven't investigated a sitting prime minister before—