I do—
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.
1:20 p.m.
Liberal
1:20 p.m.
Founder, WE Charity
Mr. Chair, thank you.
Because we are together for, I believe, a relatively unprecedented four hours, we just want to make sure we can provide as much context as possible so the answers to the questions can be provided with full context.
Craig has the most specific details, sir, to those conversations because he was the one who was leading them. Thank you.
1:25 p.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
All right, so you just imagined a call on a specific date with specific words spoken, and you recounted words that were spoken on the date of a call that just didn't happen.
1:25 p.m.
Founder, WE Charity
Sir, what I shared was, again, incorrect. I shared that we had an opportunity to share this message. I was very excited. Craig, again, had the details, and part of today is going through all those details with you in a very specific manner. Again, I apologize. I was just very excited about the program.
1:25 p.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Got it.
The National Post obtained a memo in which, Marc, you said, and I quote, “I'm thrilled to share that we have been invited by the Prime Minister and Canadian Heritage to host a unique WE Day event in Ottawa on Canada Day weekend, 2017.” Then Justin Trudeau personally called you, or was it Craig who got the call from Justin Trudeau?
1:25 p.m.
Founder, WE Charity
Sir, I'm happy to speak to that question.
It was in regard to the fact that the Prime Minister had announced $200 million for funding supporting organizations across Canada for national celebrations for Canada 150. Canadian Heritage was the group that we engaged with. We submitted a formal proposal through Heritage and that was—
1:25 p.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Right. That wasn't the question. That wasn't the question.
The question was, did the Prime Minister personally call? That's the wording of the statement. You were thrilled that “we have been invited by the Prime Minister...”, so that was another imaginary interaction with the Prime Minister's Office, or with the Prime Minister himself.
1:25 p.m.
Founder, WE Charity
I can say with certainty that neither Marc nor I has ever, in 25 years, received a phone call from the Prime Minister on this topic.
1:25 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter
Mr. Poilievre, we are going to allow the witnesses.... They're here for four hours, so we will allow them to answer—
1:25 p.m.
Conservative
1:25 p.m.
Founder, WE Charity
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
We understand the politically sensitive nature of the moment, but typically when people say that Heritage Canada, the Prime Minister, in the midst of a moment on Canada's 150th anniversary, has invited you to engage, it was in relation to the fact that the Prime Minister—
1:25 p.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Okay. Did you, Craig, speak to anyone in the PMO? Did you speak to anyone in the PMO on April 23?
1:25 p.m.
Conservative
1:25 p.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
On April 23, did you speak to anyone in the Prime Minister's Office?