Evidence of meeting #22 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was brookfield.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
James Maloney Liberal Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON
As of the date that blind trust is created, he no longer knows what is contained in that or how it is being handled or how those affairs are being conducted. Is that correct?
Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
That's correct.
Liberal
James Maloney Liberal Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON
Other members of Parliament, on the other hand—and there are many of them—own shares in a variety of corporate entities, including Brookfield, and they're voting in the House of Commons knowing they own shares in these companies. Is that correct?
Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
Liberal
James Maloney Liberal Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON
Okay. I'm just pointing out the irony. There's really no question there.
I'm going to go back to this political weaponizing of this process, which we've spent two hours here doing again, because there are all of these allegations.
Sir, you sat as a Federal Court judge for a number of years. I practised law for 20 years. There are consequences to actions when you go into a courtroom, and there are cost consequences. If you make false accusations, if you make false representations, if you are unsuccessful in those, there are consequences that come in the form of financial payment.
I asked you this earlier, but we ran out of time. Is there a process you can conceive of where people who continue to weaponize this process politically simply to score cheap political points...? If there was a finding that there is no basis for the accusation or complaint, is it not possible to come up with some sort of mechanism to discourage that behaviour so that there are consequences?
Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
Well, you're running here into the whole issue of parliamentary privilege. As you know, whatever any member says in the House it is not actionable and it has no.... Unless you really want to go to the whole core of the parliamentary system, I don't think there's anything you can do.
What members of Parliament say within the House of Commons is privileged, and it is their opinion, and they're entitled to do that. If it amounts to “weaponizing”, as you call it, that's their privilege too.
Liberal
James Maloney Liberal Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON
I don't disagree with you that they're entitled to conduct themselves in that way, but let me put it another way, then.
Do you not think it would be appropriate, when you or your office is issuing a report, to address the issue of making these things as political as they are? You could do that without breaching privilege. Simply pointing out the fact that an accusation or an investigation we requested...and there's absolutely no foundation for it whatsoever, you could conclude that this was done for political reasons, could you not?
Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
Yes, if I wanted to, I presumably could. I doubt that I'd go as far as you suggest. What I might say is that there were accusations made, but there's no basis for them. My investigation has revealed that they are baseless.
I don't think it's my job to get into the political arena. It's my job to be objective and to deal with issues of conflict of interest.
Liberal
James Maloney Liberal Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON
Thank you for saying that. I'm going to stop there, sir, because I think you've displayed today, time and time again, with every question answered, that level of objectivity and independence. I just want to say thank you to you and your colleagues for taking the time to be here today and for answering all of our questions.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
Thank you, Mr. Maloney.
I want to thank the commissioner, Ms. Robinson-Dalpé and Mr. Aquilino for spending time with the committee today.
I have no other business.
The meeting is adjourned.