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.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Michelle Douglas  Former Chair of the Board of Directors, WE Charity, As an Individual
Clerk of the Committee  Ms. Caroline Bosc
Marc Kielburger  Founder, WE Charity
Craig Kielburger  Founder, WE Charity

3:25 p.m.

Founder, WE Charity

Marc Kielburger

Mr. Chair, thank you.

We were working diligently through that period, and ESDC was aware that we were working diligently through that period. ESDC suggested that this date, the date you mentioned, to be very specific about “that date”—

3:25 p.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON

When did they suggest that?

3:25 p.m.

Founder, WE Charity

Marc Kielburger

We'd have to go back to our records, sir, but we were all working in coordination throughout that entire period, sir.

3:25 p.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON

Was it before the 5th of May?

3:25 p.m.

Founder, WE Charity

Marc Kielburger

I'll have to check my records, sir.

3:25 p.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON

Okay. Did anyone else other than ESDC suggest to you that you could begin incurring eligible expenses?

3:25 p.m.

Founder, WE Charity

3:25 p.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON

Did either you or any of your intermediaries communicate with anyone in the office of Bill Morneau after March 1?

3:25 p.m.

Founder, WE Charity

3:25 p.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON

Who?

3:25 p.m.

Founder, WE Charity

Craig Kielburger

Oh, well—

3:25 p.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON

The office, I mean his staff now?

3:25 p.m.

Founder, WE Charity

Craig Kielburger

Yes, there were multiple touchpoints on two matters. One was Amitpal Singh on April 7.

3:25 p.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON

Good—Mr. Singh.

3:25 p.m.

Founder, WE Charity

Craig Kielburger

Amit Singh reached out to have a conversation with Sofia Marquez and 11 other non-profits. There were a number of touchpoints. We can get you all the touchpoints with Amit Singh. So those conversations took place. Then, also with Ms. Michelle Kovacevic—

3:25 p.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON

She's not in his office; she's in the department.

3:25 p.m.

Founder, WE Charity

Craig Kielburger

Okay. Sorry, sir.

We would also have had conversations, subsequent to the termination, with the office of Mr. Morneau, or the family office—we need to look into that, whether it was with family office or whomever—on the payment related to the trip of the McCain and Morneau families.

3:25 p.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON

Right.

Did you ever have contact with Katie Telford?

3:30 p.m.

Founder, WE Charity

3:30 p.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON

Or your emissaries, your intermediaries? No one in your organization did?

3:30 p.m.

Founder, WE Charity

Craig Kielburger

Not to my knowledge.

3:30 p.m.

Founder, WE Charity

Marc Kielburger

Not to our knowledge.

3:30 p.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON

Ben Chin?

3:30 p.m.

Founder, WE Charity

Marc Kielburger

Not to our knowledge.

3:30 p.m.

Founder, WE Charity

Craig Kielburger

Not to our knowledge. I met him, before all this, once, but no.