Thank you for your question.
I will try to be as candid as possible, while sticking to the facts.
I believe, as the chair said, that the Ethics Committee is a special committee of Parliament. The trust of Canadians is important; that is why I have reiterated that I have complied with all the rules under the Conflict of Interest Act. To shed some light on the matter, I even took the time to explain certain provisions of the act that, given the questions that were asked, may have been less well known or understood by some members of the committee.
My goal was simply, and with humility, to shed some light on certain matters. I’m saying that there are allegations, and we must distinguish between facts and opinions, allegations and evidence. A committee like the Ethics Committee demands a high degree of rigour, because we analyze and make statements; there are also insinuations, and that’s why I stick to the facts. I am very precise in my answers, because I believe that Canadians have the right to expect that from people who come to testify.
As I said, the act is clear. For my part, I decided to go beyond what the Conflict of Interest Act requires: I put a screening process in place; this is a well-established practice with the Privy Council Office for individuals in ministerial roles. So, I have complied with all of that. I even notified the Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner.
You know, people who follow our work understand that when you follow all the rules and go above and beyond expectations, at some point you cross a line and it becomes the politicization of an issue. People who may have a different opinion on certain matters may want to speak out, but there are other forums for doing so. If people disagree—for example, with a specific project—the Ethics Committee is not the forum to voice that disagreement.
That is why tonight I have stuck to the facts—to what I have done—to give Canadians the perspective they need to understand the situation. You, the members of the committee and the chair, play an important role in building trust. If there are people who have different opinions about projects, that’s possible and that’s fine. However, those people have other places, other forums, to voice their views. Today, I was testifying about the actions I have taken.
I thank the members of the committee and the chair for giving me the opportunity to set the record straight and inform Canadians.