Evidence of meeting #127 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was business.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Darren Fisher Liberal Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS
Telling a member to relax, I think, is inappropriate, sir, as a chair.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
I think I said right at the outset, Mr. Fisher—and I appreciate the challenge—that it's difficult when there's crosstalk that's going on.
Conservative
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
When I'm hearing it from this side, I can't focus on what the minister and Mr. Brock are talking about. I said that right at the outset. I was going to enforce it, and I did.
Liberal
Iqra Khalid Liberal Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON
I would like to comment on that same point of order, Chair.
Conservative
Liberal
Iqra Khalid Liberal Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON
I'd respectfully like to ask you why it is that you only hear it from this side and never from any other part?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
I think I did that the other day, actually. I think I heard it the other day. You might want to review the tapes, Ms. Khalid.
Mr. Housefather, go ahead.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.
Liberal
Iqra Khalid Liberal Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON
If we were going to start counting, then I think that the tally would show—
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
Review the tapes and you'll see how I acted the other day when I heard it coming from this side.
On the point of order, Mr. Barrett, go ahead.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
Chair, I think it's an unacceptable practice in any committee to have a member's staff or House officer's staff making audible interventions overtop of members of the committee, the chair of the committee or a witness of the committee. Perhaps you could give a gentle reminder to staff who are here, such as House officers from the government, that if they're interested in intervening at this committee, they can put their name forward to appear as a witness or they can run for Parliament. They're not to yell overtop of us.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
I've dealt with that issue before a couple of times, and that's a good reminder to all staff who are here.
Mr. Housefather, please go ahead for five minutes, please.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Boissonnault, if you used bad judgment to enter into a business relationship with Stephen Anderson and he shouldn't have been somebody you entered into business with prior to your election and becoming a minister, would that be the purview of the Ethics Commissioner? Would that be something you're not allowed to do—enter into business with the wrong guy?
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
In the event that you were paid in any way before you were elected as a minister, whatever the type of arrangement that you had fiscally with the company, would that be something that would be under the purview of this committee or anything the Ethics Commissioner should be interested in?
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
No, but in your disclosure process, you would be required to inform the commissioner of that and to provide all of the documentation. To make sure that the minister is compliant with the act, they must organize their former private affairs in a way that complies with the act.
For example, if you personally have any actively traded stocks, you have to get rid of them or you have to sell them. You can't even put them in a blind trust. I followed all those rules.
If you'll allow me, Mr. Housefather, I want to state, so the committee hears it again, that I submitted all the messages across all devices for the date requested on September 8, and I've now done the same for September 6.
It's simply not true that I didn't fulfill the request from this committee.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Coming back to the issue, the first time you were asked about September 8, and today we're talking about text messages and one brief phone call on September 6. Is it still true you never spoke to Mr. Anderson on September 8?
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
It's still true that you never texted Mr. Anderson on September 8. Is that correct?
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Now I'm going to come back to the text messages you exchanged on September 6, because I'm sure I don't want you to get called back here for more questions about the 6th.