Evidence of meeting #26 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 know.
A video is available from Parliament.
3:20 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Chris Warkentin
Thank you. That isn't a point of order, but I did make it clear to the member and the witness that this was the case.
Go ahead, Mr. Poilievre.
3:20 p.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Did Mr. Theis tell public servants to get the program out the door?
3:20 p.m.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
Not that I know of.
Regarding your previous questions, I understand that they were asked at finance, and you have the necessary—
3:20 p.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Thank you very much, Mr. Rodriguez.
I have here a summary of a phone call that Mr. Theis had with the public servants on whom your government has blamed this entire debacle.
According to this summary, it says here, “Rick, critical path to get this out the door.”
You're saying he did not say that he wanted to get it out the door, and here we have a summary of his phone call in which he says, and this is reading directly from the summary, “Rick, critical path to get this out the door.”
Why would you testify that he hadn't told public servants to get this out the door when the call logs show he did?
3:20 p.m.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
As I mentioned to you, I spoke with Mr. Theis yesterday and again quickly today, and I asked those questions. I asked about his involvement, and I told you what it was. It was 25 minutes and it was more general than anything else.
I know that you want to point the finger at him and other staffers, but—
3:20 p.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Did he tell you when you spoke to him yesterday that he had told public servants to get this program out the door, yes or no?
3:20 p.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Did he tell you when you spoke to him yesterday that he had told public servants that he wanted a critical path to get this out the door? Did he tell you that?
3:25 p.m.
Liberal
3:25 p.m.
Conservative
3:25 p.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
You're testifying on his behalf here today, but you claim not to know anything about what he did, so it's hard to understand what you're able to share with us.
3:25 p.m.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
That's false, Mr. Poilievre. I'm telling you what we discussed.
3:25 p.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
You just failed to confirm whether or not he said we should get this out the door, and I'm telling you it's right in the call logs that he said that, so you were ignorant of those facts, yet you're supposed to be testifying on his behalf. Either you don't know or you're hiding things. Which is it?
March 29th, 2021 / 3:25 p.m.
Liberal
3:25 p.m.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
Mr. Speaker, you have known me a long time. You know I don't hide—
3:25 p.m.
Conservative
3:25 p.m.
Liberal
Brenda Shanahan Liberal Châteauguay—Lacolle, QC
The witness is here on behalf of the government. The witness cannot say a person—
3:25 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Chris Warkentin
Ms. Shanahan, that's not a point of order. If you would like to be asked to be a witness, you're welcome to make that request, but we'll allow the witness to testify.
Mr. Rodriguez, if you want to give an answer to that question, we'll allow you to answer, and then we'll turn to Mr. Sorbara.
3:25 p.m.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
Again, the questions that have been asked and raised by Mr. Poilievre were answered at the finance committee. He has the answers there.
I think that Mr. Poilievre is looking for information that he already has, and there is nothing new here.
3:25 p.m.
Liberal
Francesco Sorbara Liberal Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair, and obviously it's nice to see my colleagues this afternoon. Welcome again, Minister, to the committee.
Minister, I want to make sure we're very clear on the information at hand and clear on the facts that we're dealing with.
Minister, did Mr. Theis have any role in negotiating the contribution agreement with WE or any of its associated entities?