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.
Bloc
René Villemure Bloc Trois-Rivières, QC
Thank you very much.
I want to touch on a few things. The Commissioner found that your actions complied with the act that he is responsible for implementing. Is that correct?
Liberal
Bloc
René Villemure Bloc Trois-Rivières, QC
You'll probably agree with me that some things may be unethical despite being legal.
Do you believe that some things fit that description?
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
Not at all, because, if they did, the Ethics Commissioner would have said so. He conducted a preliminary investigation, and he said three times that he didn't need to conduct an in-depth examination because there was no evidence to indicate that I had put myself in that grey area or done something that conflicted with the intent and wording of the act.
René Villemure Bloc Trois-Rivières, QC
Initially, he found nothing, and you're telling us that makes sense because there was nothing.
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
Absolutely.
Mr. Villemure, right at the beginning, on June 4, the Commissioner told the committee that I had followed the rules set out in the act and the code. He said:
it appears he has complied with the requirements of the Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of Commons and the Conflict of Interest Act related to matters involving his companies and consequently there is no need to commence an examination.
Bloc
René Villemure Bloc Trois-Rivières, QC
Okay.
Given these reports and the situation we're discussing, do you think the rules are good enough?
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
We have one of the most robust conflict of interest and ethics systems in the world. This is always something we can discuss as parliamentarians, but all ministers are subject to the same code and the same rules. Not once, not twice, but three times, the Ethics Commissioner indicated that I had followed the rules and that, as of September 12, he considers this matter closed.
Bloc
René Villemure Bloc Trois-Rivières, QC
Wow. I'm going to tell you a little story that's not directly related to this.
Bloc
René Villemure Bloc Trois-Rivières, QC
In Quebec, we had an inquiry called the Charbonneau commission.
Bloc
René Villemure Bloc Trois-Rivières, QC
The commission investigated the construction industry. During testimony at the beginning of the Charbonneau commission, a man was asked who he was with. He said that he was with the person he was with. Okay. That's needless repetition.
I get the impression that, when we say “Who is Randy?”, it's kind of the same thing. I'm not saying it's you.
Bloc
René Villemure Bloc Trois-Rivières, QC
I'm saying that it's more or less the same kind of question that brings us here again today.
Who is Randy, as far as you can tell?
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
The only answer I can give is that it wasn't me. The Ethics Commissioner also made it very clear that it wasn't me. So, moving on—
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
There are two possibilities: either Mr. Anderson dealt with someone by the name of Randy and did not identify that person, or he used my name to suit his purposes without my knowledge, which would be unfortunate and disappointing.
If that's what he did, he must answer to this committee.
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
I have no idea. It's up to Mr. Anderson to answer that question.
Bloc
René Villemure Bloc Trois-Rivières, QC
So, either Mr. Anderson dealt with someone by the name of Randy and lied, or, somewhere out there, there's another Randy, whom you don't know.