Evidence of meeting #24 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was program.
A video is available from Parliament.
Bloc
Bloc
Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
—for helping you, even though they didn't help you.
Is that right?
Founder, WE Charity
Some messages went out that day or the day before, all thanks for supporting kids, thanks for helping youth volunteers.
Bloc
Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
We aren't talking about helping children. You thanked someone for helping you set up the program.
How many people did you send a message to in order to thank them for [Technical difficulty—Editor] even though they didn't really help you?
Founder, WE Charity
I understand. We're not hiding the fact that we engaged with the PMO. We had a conversation with Rick Theis. We had a conversation with the PMO on this. There's no need for us to hide this; it's on the record. We legitimately spoke to them. They had actual questions. We gave the answers to the questions. He wanted options; we gave him options.
Bloc
Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Okay.
I didn't receive a thank you message, so if you want to thank me, feel free.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Chris Warkentin
Thank you, Mr. Fortin.
Gentlemen, we've gone over time there.
We'll go to Mr. Angus now for the next round of questions.
NDP
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
Thank you very much.
Yes, you have testified a number of hours here, but I can never seem to get some straight answers here, so, if you don't mind, I'm going to have to keep going back at it.
The only person I think who has been gaslighted more than me is poor Rachel Wernick. Again today you say it was Rachel Wernick who reached out to you and that you've had this long-standing relationship with Rachel Wernick, but the documents don't show that.
They show an April 17 meeting with you, Craig, Sophia Marquez and Minister Chagger. Your documents then thank her and say that she was the one who suggested establishing the volunteer stream, so that's[Technical difficulty--Editor] service stream.
Let's just clarify the record here. You met with Minister Chagger. She suggested the service stream, correct?
Founder, WE Charity
Minister Chagger spoke on a different proposal suggesting we incorporate the service stream. That's correct.
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
Yes, okay.
Then she said to make a new stream to add this in, and you then contacted them on the 22nd, thanked them and said that you had been advised by Minister Chagger to add this in, so it wasn't Rachel Wernick who came up with this. Minister Chagger talked to you, and you guys began working on this. Correct?
Founder, WE Charity
I've submitted the email that says from Ms. Wernick on the 19th, “I am sorry for the 'out of the blue' email on a Sunday morning.” She said that she needed to urgently speak to that matter. I wrote back to her saying I was happy to speak. We spoke that same day. In the email we've also submitted, we said we were happy to help and that we would get her some materials right away on this service initiative. It's all documented on paper. Papers don't lie.
NDP
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
I know it is, because unlike my Liberal colleagues, I read all the papers. So April 17th, you meet. April 18th, before Wernick reaches out, out of the blue, ESDC is talking to Kovacevich, and Kovacevich says, “Hey, stop looking into Spotify. We have another possibility. And that—
NDP
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
Well, that's what they keep telling us.
So anyways, I'm looking here, “Happy Monday! Min. Chagger expressed interest in exploring ways to adapt the entrepreneurship proposal we submitted to Min. Ng and include a service component.... She suggested that we should consider opening a service-stream”. So that was Sophia Marquez.
Then you wrote and said that Minister Chagger gave you this advice, and this is what you were following up on. So you were following up, and you already had the plan started by the time Rachel Wernick.... Let's just cut to the chase. You met with Chagger, and she gave you this idea, so Wernick didn't come out of the blue. You were meeting with her boss beforehand. Correct?
Founder, WE Charity
I agree with you she didn't come out of the blue because she'd funded us two years earlier to test—
NDP
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
No, no, no, no, no, come on, Craig, come on, Craig. You met on the 17th, two days before. You met the Minister.
NDP
Founder, WE Charity
Can I answer the question, please?
So again, June 29, they awarded $800,000 to test service programs of 2018.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Chris Warkentin
Mr. Angus, your time is up. Mr. Angus, we're going to allow for the answering of the question. Then we're going to go to Mr. Gourde.
NDP
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
I'm asking about the question on April 17th, and he's going back two years before. It was that meeting. So just tell us—