Information & Ethics Committee on Dec. 4th, 2020

[Brenda Shanahan, Liberal, Châteauguay—Lacolle, QC]

Sorry, it's the $12 million. In the answers you were giving to Mr. Angus, there seemed to be some mistake or misunderstanding there, too, about an approval that had happened with the $900 million.

Thank you.

[Michelle Kovacevic]

Thank you.

Mr. Angus is referring to annex 4, which is in the documents that we submitted to Parliament. Annex 4 lays out a funding decision, which says...a high-level announcement, $900 million, the minister of ESDC to return with a proposal, and it also has WE Charity, $12 million. That was never signed by the Minister of Finance. He verbally approved all of it except for the WE, and the final decision from the Prime Minister also approved all of it, but not the WE Charity part.

In the communications product, a backgrounder I believe it was, there was a typo, if you will, which still listed $912 million rather than $900 million. In fact, it is $900 million, not $912 million, and neither the Minister of Finance nor the Prime Minister had signed off on the WE Charity $12 million at that point in time in advance of the April 22 announcement.

I hope that's clear.

[Brenda Shanahan, Liberal, Châteauguay—Lacolle, QC]

Thank you very much for that clarification.

I have one last question, Chair, if I may.

I want to ask Ms. Kovacevic, did she bring her Sassy phone to today's meeting?

[Michelle Kovacevic]

I think I need to be a little less sassy, but yes, it is here. Thanks for asking.

[Brenda Shanahan, Liberal, Châteauguay—Lacolle, QC]

Keep the sassiness.

Thank you very much, Chair, and thank you to today's witnesses.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Thank you very much.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

I have a point of order, Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Yes, Mr. Angus, go ahead on a point of order.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Before we end for the day.... I think this question of the $12 million is really important. We have it actually in the minister's financial annex, which says he signed off on it, he's approved it. We have it listed in the government release, which the witness is saying was just a typo, but $912 million is not a typo; it's showing that it's still there. It eventually is mentioned in the PCO, where the PCO says they have a problem with it. I think they had a problem with—

[Francesco Sorbara, Liberal, Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON]

Chair, excuse me.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

I'm not finished, sir. I'm on a point of order, please.

Could my colleague wait?

[Francesco Sorbara, Liberal, Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON]

I believe this is debate.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Go ahead, Mr. Angus, but please be—

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

This is serious. I think my colleagues have interrupted us enough over the last 40 days.

I am asking this because some of the documents in annex 4 are blacked out. In one it says, “Hey folks—just picked up a package of docs from Bill [Morneau]. Let me know which ones are still missing so I can track them down”, and then, “Annex 4, Canada Student Service Grant—he didn't sign anything on this one just wrote OK (same as above, Tyler)”.

I am asking—

[Brenda Shanahan, Liberal, Châteauguay—Lacolle, QC]

I'm sorry, Chair—

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Chair, I'm still on the point of order.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

I know, Mr. Angus.

You know that I've given broad room for everybody.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

I am asking you if you will ask the finance department to send those documents unredacted regarding this so we can clarify whether it was a typo or whether, in fact, as it says, he signed off, “OK”, for the $12 million.

It's a simple thing, but we need to know.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

All right. The request for documents is on record right now.

Madam Clerk, if that's permissible, we can make that happen.

Colleagues, we're done for the day.

Please allow me to thank the witnesses for their patience and fulsome answers.

Colleagues, we will see you at 11 a.m. on Monday, either virtually or in person. Have a good weekend.