Evidence of meeting #74 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.
10:10 a.m.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
Okay.
What part did Caroline Lin play during the fallout of the board becoming aware of the reporting in The Globe and Mail?
10:10 a.m.
Former Vice-Chair of the Pierre-Elliott Trudeau Foundation Board of directors, As an Individual
I can only say what I was told, and talk about a couple of discussions I had with Ms. Lin, the CFO.
I'm going to speak French, because it's a little easier and more natural for me.
I know that Ms. Lin and Pascale Fournier were trying to recreate the sequence of events by looking at past records and going back to the conversations in emails about that donation. These are staff members who are no longer employed by the foundation.
So they did an exploratory search to find out what the communications were. As vice-chair, I was informed that there were messages or emails indicating that there had been directives from a Chinese entity. They more or less dictated to whom the receipts for the donation should be issued.
10:10 a.m.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
Thanks very much. I have only about 30 seconds left.
Would you say that the testimony of Ms. Lin would be valuable if this committee were able to take it?
Give me just a yes or no, if you could, please.
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Former Vice-Chair of the Pierre-Elliott Trudeau Foundation Board of directors, As an Individual
I believe so.
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Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
Thank you.
Several times over multiple meetings, it was decided that Mr. Johnson, Mr. Sahlas and Mr. McNiven should recuse themselves because they were in a conflict of interest.
Is that correct?
10:10 a.m.
Former Vice-Chair of the Pierre-Elliott Trudeau Foundation Board of directors, As an Individual
Yes.
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Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
Did they recuse themselves?
10:10 a.m.
Former Vice-Chair of the Pierre-Elliott Trudeau Foundation Board of directors, As an Individual
No.
10:10 a.m.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
Why wouldn't they recuse themselves?
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Former Vice-Chair of the Pierre-Elliott Trudeau Foundation Board of directors, As an Individual
You would have to ask them.
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Conservative
10:10 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
Thank you, Mr. Barrett.
Mr. Fergus, you have six minutes. Go ahead, please.
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Liberal
Greg Fergus Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'd also like to thank our witnesses.
Like you, Mr. Chair, I'd like to express our condolences to Dr. Gibson for the loss her family has suffered.
Before I begin my questions, I'd like to ask you something. I saw that Dr. Redfern's speech was several pages long, and she didn't have enough time to finish it.
Could I invite her to submit her document to the clerk so that we can take full advantage of all her comments?
10:10 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
Thank you for that, Mr. Fergus.
Ms. Redfern, if you're willing to submit that to the committee.... I think you may have already, actually, so we have it.
It's just a matter of getting it translated and distributed to the committee, Mr. Fergus.
I didn't take too much of your time away. You have about five and a half minutes right now.
Go ahead.
10:10 a.m.
Liberal
Greg Fergus Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
You're very generous, thank you very much.
I am a big fan of Dr. Adam's work when she was Commissioner of Official Languages.
If I may, Dr. Adam, I'm going to ask you and all the witnesses some questions. They will be very brief and succinct. I hope you will understand that I'm simply trying to establish the facts.
Dr. Adam, were you a member of the foundation between 2014 and 2016?
10:15 a.m.
Former Vice-Chair of the Pierre-Elliott Trudeau Foundation Board of directors, As an Individual
I wasn't an active member or a board member.
10:15 a.m.
Liberal
Greg Fergus Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
If I understand correctly, you were not the chair, but a member of the board of directors.
10:15 a.m.
Former Vice-Chair of the Pierre-Elliott Trudeau Foundation Board of directors, As an Individual
That's correct.
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Liberal
Greg Fergus Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
Ms. Redfern, were you a member of the Trudeau Foundation at that time?
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Liberal
Greg Fergus Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
Dr. Gibson, it's the same question.
Were you a member of the Trudeau Foundation at that time?
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Director, The Firelight Group, As an Individual
No, I was not, at that time.
Pardon me. I was a member by virtue of having been a scholar, but I was not a director until 2020.
10:15 a.m.
Liberal
Greg Fergus Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
Okay.
Were any of you members of the board of directors during the time the foundation negotiated and signed an agreement with Mr. Zhang?