Information & Ethics Committee on Nov. 20th, 2025

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Sturgeon River, AB]

Mr. Blanchard—

[Marc-André Blanchard]

Can you please let me finish my answer?

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Sturgeon River, AB]

It's my time. I'm taking my time back.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

Mr. Cooper, go ahead.

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Sturgeon River, AB]

Then, on September 27, while in London, England, Mr. Carney attended an intimate working breakfast with Canada's High Commissioner to the U.K., Ralph Goodale, and eight international investors. Four of the eight investors present were from companies that have major connections to none other than Brookfield.

Is it just another coincidence? It seems to me to be part of a pattern—Brookfield, Brookfield, Brookfield.

[Marc-André Blanchard]

I think Canadians are extremely happy that the Prime Minister is able to meet with the biggest investors in the world. The investors you are talking about do not represent companies that are linked to Brookfield. Rather, they represent independent investment funds, which are among the largest investment funds in the world. We want to count them—

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Sturgeon River, AB]

Mr. Blanchard—

[Marc-André Blanchard]

—among investors in Canada and that's—

[Yvan Baker, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

You had equal time, Mr. Blanchard.

I'm going to go to Mr. Cooper.

[Yvan Baker, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Mr. Chair, I have a point of order.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

What's your point of order, Mr. Baker?

[Yvan Baker, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

My point of order is that, as MPs, we need to allow the witness to answer the question.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

The witness had ample time to answer the question.

[Yvan Baker, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

The member has asked a similar question multiple times and has not allowed the witness to answer.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

The witness had ample time to answer the question.

I didn't stop your clock. I'm going to add another 25 seconds to your time.

I gave Mr. Blanchard ample time to answer the question.

Mr. Cooper, it's your time. You have 45 seconds here.

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Sturgeon River, AB]

We've heard various excuses, various explanations, offered. Technically the screen might not have applied in these cases. Technically there might not have been a direct conflict of interest. There's always some sort of explanation, but wouldn't it be better if the Prime Minister simply heeded the advice of the Ethics Commissioner and stayed the hell away from Brookfield?

Wouldn't that be better?

[Marc-André Blanchard]

May I answer, Mr. Chair?

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

You have 15 seconds.

Go ahead.

[Marc-André Blanchard]

For each of the meetings in London, verifications were done to ensure that ethical measures were being followed. It was determined that there was no ethical issue in holding these meetings, as the participants were among the largest institutional investors in the world and had no connection to Brookfield.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

Thank you, Mr. Blanchard.

Ms. Church, you have five minutes.

Go ahead.

[Leslie Church, Liberal, Toronto—St. Paul's, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Welcome, Mr. Blanchard.

Let me take you back to your earlier statement about the exchange with Mr. Nigel Wright before this committee.

Mr. Blanchard, would you be willing to provide a text of his appearance to our committee to be able to read it into the record?

[Marc-André Blanchard]

Yes.

[Leslie Church, Liberal, Toronto—St. Paul's, ON]

Would you be able to do that within the following week?

[Marc-André Blanchard]

Yes, I will.