—“ME to WE Foundation”—
Evidence of meeting #45 for Finance in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was sir.
A video is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #45 for Finance in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was sir.
A video is available from Parliament.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
4:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter
Mr. Poilievre, do I have to suspend this meeting?
Now, there will be order or I'll suspend the meeting, and that's it. It's your choice.
Craig, the floor is your.
4:05 p.m.
Founder, WE Charity
Sir, every entity that was party to the contract was held to the same standards. The contribution agreement clearly identified eligible expenses. Eligible expenses [Inaudible—Editor] simply in implementing the project, sir—
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
What is the status now? You entered the whole meeting into a debate. Who has the floor? Who's in charge now?
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter
The person who has the floor.... I asked for a point of clarification on the “going to net hundreds of millions of dollars”—
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter
Next on the list is Mr. Cooper, followed by Mr. Fraser, Mr. Cumming and Ms. Koutrakis.
Finalize your answer, Mr. Kielburger, and then we'll go on to Mr. Cooper.
4:10 p.m.
Founder, WE Charity
Sir, just to be very clear, the organizations that were party to the agreement were all registered charities.
4:10 p.m.
Founder, WE Charity
And held the same audits and the same control functions.... Any money not spent directly on the implementation had to be returned to the federal government—
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter
Thank you.
Members do have copies of the contribution agreement for their reading pleasure and to determine the facts of that contribution agreement.
We have Mr. Cooper for five minutes, followed by Mr. Fraser.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Edmonton, AB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
To the Kielburgers, you indicated in your testimony that ESDC had represented to you that eligible costs would be covered effective May 5, that this occurred around that time, and the costs were incurred.
Who at ESDC made that assurance, the name?
4:10 p.m.
Founder, WE Charity
It was part of the conversation and the negotiation with the ESDC team, the legal team—
4:10 p.m.
Founder, WE Charity
The legal team from ESDC, I don't have the exact names, sir. Of course, Rachel Wernick was privy to those conversations.
4:10 p.m.
Founder, WE Charity
It was codified in the agreement, sir, as part of this—
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Edmonton, AB
Isn't it interesting that Ms. Wernick never mentioned that in her testimony?
4:10 p.m.
Founder, WE Charity
She was aware of all the details, sir, of the contribution agreement.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Edmonton, AB
That was before the COVID committee had approved the proposal. Indeed, it would have been on or the day before your May 4 proposal was submitted that you got that assurance.
4:10 p.m.
Founder, WE Charity
Sir, otherwise the launch of the program, in terms of our signature on the program, would have been two days later. How else would we have had 20,000 volunteer opportunities ready? How else would we have had 83 non-profits signed up? How else—
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Edmonton, AB
You just wanted to put up your hand, after you had laid off hundreds of people, a month later. Some assurance [Inaudible—Editor]. It's tough to believe.