Evidence of meeting #69 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 foundation.
A video is available from Parliament.
5:35 p.m.
Member, Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation
I met him at the signing ceremony, the second time.
5:35 p.m.
Conservative
5:35 p.m.
Member, Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation
In 2015, it didn't work out. As I say, there was great urgency in 2013. The first email I got was that there's a great opportunity with serious Chinese people who want to donate to the university, so please meet us at your earliest convenience.
5:35 p.m.
Conservative
Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Edmonton, AB
Thank you for that.
On May 19, 2016, Justin Trudeau held a cash-for-access dinner in Toronto attended by Zhang Bin. Were you in attendance?
5:35 p.m.
Member, Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation
No, I was not. I heard about it, like many of you, in the newspapers. It was a moment of realizing “You know what? No more academic diplomacy at the Trudeau foundation.”
5:35 p.m.
Conservative
Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Edmonton, AB
Why would Zhang Bin be at a fundraiser for Justin Trudeau—a cash-for-access event—even though he is not a citizen of Canada? He's a Chinese national who is unable to donate. Why would he be there?
5:35 p.m.
Member, Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation
I bet you he wanted a photo with the Prime Minister to show to his friends.
5:35 p.m.
Conservative
5:35 p.m.
Member, Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation
You'd have to ask him. I have no reason to doubt.... This man never tried anything that would look like interference, so as far as I'm concerned, he's an honourable man.
5:35 p.m.
Conservative
Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Edmonton, AB
You saw nothing that would look like foreign interference, and then less than two weeks later, there's suddenly a $70,000 cheque to the Trudeau foundation.
5:35 p.m.
Member, Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation
The process of that had started in 2014. They had wanted to get everything done very quickly at the beginning, as I was saying. They had wanted to do that at the Université de Montréal. The Trudeau foundation, from his point of view, was an unfortunate add-in.
Here's a new Prime Minister. He's a rich guy who likes being at fancy occasions. I think he wanted his photo with him.
5:35 p.m.
Conservative
5:35 p.m.
Member, Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation
Do you think he discussed policy?
5:35 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
You have five seconds, Mr. Cooper.
Thank you.
Mr. Fergus, I believe you're up next, for six minutes. Go ahead, sir.
5:35 p.m.
Liberal
Greg Fergus Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Trudeau, for being here today.
I found the eight questions that you raised in your opening address very interesting. I'd like to know more about some of them because the role of this committee is really to look into these questions.
First of all, is there a link between the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation and Justin Trudeau's government? Are there instances of attempted interference? I'd like to have your opinion on that, because we've heard such things from other witnesses.
You began answering the first question. I'd like to continue by asking a few questions that I've asked other witnesses, including Mr. Rosenberg and Ms. Fournier.
Were there any meetings between the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation and the Prime Minister's Office?
5:35 p.m.
Liberal
Greg Fergus Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
Were there any with his staff or people with direct or indirect ties?
5:35 p.m.
Member, Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation
No. As I explained to Mr. Green, that was the mantra, particularly at the outset. There should be no contact between them, nor even any appearance thereof. Even during the Harper era, there was the impression, including from the leader of the opposition when he arrived in the House, who wanted to politicize the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation.
As I explained at the outset, the foundation's orientation is academic. Its purpose is to recognize that intellectual work is perhaps the greatest service people can render to our country, as Pierre Trudeau did, both before and after his life in politics, as an intellectual. It was not so much commemorating his ideas, but supporting this conviction that Canada is a country with many varied and changing ideas. Supporting university work is good for the country.
5:35 p.m.
Liberal
Greg Fergus Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
Thank you.
I'd like to return to the accusation that there was interference by donors.
What conditions were attached to this donation?
5:40 p.m.
Member, Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation
There were no conditions. They had agreed to create… This was suggested by Mr. Rosenberg. As I explained, it wasn't their idea to make a donation to the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation.