Finance Committee on July 28th, 2020

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Mr. Sorbara has a point of order, Charlie.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

This is about my daughters, so I think I should be able to clarify.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

There's a point of order on the floor, Mr. Angus.

Mr. Sorbara.

[Francesco Sorbara, Liberal, Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON]

Chair, when Deputy Angus was asking his set of questions, he veered off to something that was not relevant to what his questions were and what we're discussing today.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

That's okay.

Now, Charlie, go to your question.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

I think it's very simple. You guys changed my daughters' lives. I think that's fair, and I want to put that on the record. However, they've talked to a lot of former WE staff, including one who said that WE became another private company whose number one aim is money, and that they wanted to work at an organization where fear is not used as a tactic to achieve an end. That's what I've heard from the young people my daughters worked with, so I thought it should be on the record.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

That's your final question.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

That's my final question.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

I'll let the Kielburgers answer that. When you're answering it, I want you to tell us, because I've heard different testimony on this today, about what Mr. Angus said in his remarks. He said the project was “going to net hundreds of millions of dollars.” I want you to respond to that as well.

[Craig Kielburger]

Sir, we are not a private company. WE Charity is a charity. I know Jesse Brown is a friend of yours and he's been spreading false information, but the truth—

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Actually, he's not a friend of mine.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Mr. Angus, you're done.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

I'm sorry, but he's not a friend of mine. I met the guy once, and that was at committee.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

You're done, Charlie.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

I've met you more times than I've met him, so don't say he's a friend. That's cheap. Do the right thing.

[Craig Kielburger]

Sir, we'd appreciate it if the facts could speak for themselves. The facts are simple. In ME to WE Social Enterprises, 100% of the profits have gone to social good. WE Charity is a registered charity. The impacts of our programs, which have been torn apart in this political process, include the fact that 70 million hours have been logged by Canadian youth volunteers and 7,000 schools run our programs. Globally, 1,500 schools and classrooms have been built, with 200,000 children going through them, and a million people have clean water and health care—

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

You didn't respond to what they say about the toxic work environment.

[Craig Kielburger]

We're proud to be a Canadian charity, and we believe that a Canadian charity should not be dragged over the coals for political purposes.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Well, if you register to lobby—

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Sorry, Mr. Angus, but your time is done.

Now I'm going to ask a question.

You said earlier that you would not make money out of this. Basically, there's been an accusation that you're going to net hundreds of millions of dollars. Would you respond to that clearly, please? I want it clear on the record.

[Craig Kielburger]

Sir, I'd like to answer on two levels.

First, for the CSSG, we were only being reimbursed for costs, period. We would have made no money at all in this government program.

Second, on a personal level we've heard some very unfortunate things, and I'd like to speak to this for a moment. Our family, and even our own parents, have been dragged into this. Our 80-year-old parents, in some of the social media posts—

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

What's your point of order?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

You used an intervention to make a point about the amount that has been netted by this organization. They continue to say that they were just getting expenses reimbursed. Well, that's of course the case. We all knew that all along. When they paid expenses to themselves, they were reimbursed under this contribution agreement. It doesn't take profit in order for someone to benefit—

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Mr. Poilievre—