Information & Ethics Committee on March 29th, 2021

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Thank you. No, you answered the question.

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

But you did have those conversations and questions, Mr. Poilievre—

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Thank you. Thank you. You said no, that no public servant raised concerns about potential integrity. Well, here I quote from the Treasury Board Secretariat:

Furthermore, the tracking of hours by a third-party could be challenging and result in potential integrity concerns should the students not be honest about hours accrued.

Again, you testify to something, and I present to you, in real time, contradictions to what you say, so how is it that you're the minister responsible for this file and you can't answer the most basic questions accurately?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Mr. Poilievre, maybe it's because you just want to hear some answers and you don't like some of the answers and then you say that they're no good, but the answer doesn't depend upon whether you like it or not. An answer is an answer, and you know me. You have known me for a long time. You know I always—

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Okay, we'll go to the next question, then. Did Rick Theis—

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

—I'm going to answer that question.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Good, let's get to it, then.

Did Rick Theis suggest that the WE organization might need more funds? Did he tell public—

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

We are recognizing a point of order.

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Mr. Chair, I'd like to ask you how much time there was for this round. I have 3 minutes and 38 seconds on my clock.

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

That's why I haven't called the time yet. It's a five-minute round.

Thank you, Mr. Fergus.

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Thank you, sir.

I apologize to Mr. Poilievre for interrupting.

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

Mr. Poilievre, we'll turn it back to you.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Theis is the Prime Minister's cabinet director. He spoke to public servants about this program. Did he suggest that WE might need more funds than the public servants originally suggested, yes or no?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

No, not that I know of, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Chair, when it comes to the—

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Thank you. Thank you for that direct answer. I appreciate it.

If I can follow up—

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

—meeting of the ethics committee, we both heard directly from the—

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

Mr. Poilievre, I think we're going to give Mr. Rodriguez the opportunity to answer.

Mr. Rodriguez.

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

It's important to mention, Mr. Chair, that the finance committee and the ethics committee have both heard directly from the non-partisan public servants—

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Thank you.

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

—who are responsible for this program, and no one raised flags about—

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Right. That has nothing to do with my question.

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Yes, it does.

No one raised flags about WE Charity's finances and resources. No one.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Right.

I have here a call log. You just said that Mr. Theis, top adviser to the Prime Minister, did not suggest there might be a need for more funds. In fact, on May 25, in a call he had with senior officials at Finance and Employment, he said, and I quote here, “Potential for a second wave - but will need more funding to do that.”

He's suggesting that the WE organization might need more funding than the officials were originally recommending.

Again, it's exactly the opposite of what you just testified. Why do you keep testifying the opposite of what the documents your own government has released say?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Mr. Poilievre, you're suggesting things that you think he's suggesting, right?