Evidence of meeting #47 for Finance in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was cabinet.
A video is available from Parliament.
6:25 p.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.
This is information the committee is entitled to receive. The witness knows the names. If she didn't, she wouldn't be able to enumerate how many there were.
Mr. Chair, she is obliged to answer the question, and I ask that you require that answer right now. We want the names of PMO staffers who spoke with WE. There's no need for a cover-up.
6:25 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter
I believe Ms. Telford is agreeing to provide us with the names after she looks at her records.
6:25 p.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
On a point of order, Mr. Chair, that's not what we've been told.
6:25 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter
Okay, then I'll ask for clarification.
Ms. Telford, can you provide the committee the names after you look at your records?
6:25 p.m.
Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, Office of the Prime Minister
Just to be clear, Mr. Chair, they're not my records. I will need to consult with the individuals involved. I can tell members that I am here on the staff's behalf and happy to take any questions they have for them.
6:25 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter
I think the question was a little more than that. I'll go to Mr. Barrett while we think about this for a moment.
Mr. Barrett.
6:25 p.m.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
Ma'am, you're required to disclose this information. It's necessary for us to know. This is why we have things like a lobbyist registry. We need to know who has contacted whom and on what dates. This is germane to this study. It's germane to the committee's work. I'm going to ask you again to commit that you will provide the names and the dates of the communications.
6:25 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter
I would point out, Ms. Telford, that there was a request from the committee for documents that was carried, and the Clerk of the Privy Council committed to getting those documents. I'm not sure if these are in them or not, but I believe that's where we're at.
Ms. Telford.
6:25 p.m.
Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, Office of the Prime Minister
Just to be clear, I didn't enumerate, as alleged earlier, the exact number of staff. I said there was a—
6:25 p.m.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
You said a handful and usually that means five.
6:30 p.m.
Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, Office of the Prime Minister
—handful of interactions.
6:30 p.m.
Liberal
6:30 p.m.
Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, Office of the Prime Minister
Yes, it's in and around that number. There was only the one prior to around the time of the launch. Around the time of the launch, there was some back-and-forth, the usual media relations check-ins.
6:30 p.m.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
Do you know the names of any other individuals who were in the room?
6:30 p.m.
Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, Office of the Prime Minister
I would want to check before I give them to the committee.
6:30 p.m.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
How are we only learning today that the Prime Minister came and pulled the agreement from cabinet on May 8? We've had testimony from the Clerk of the Privy Council, from multiple ministers, including Minister Chagger and Minister Morneau, and the Prime Minister up until today has not said that.
How is it that you've just saved this amazing story for today?
6:30 p.m.
Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, Office of the Prime Minister
When you say the Prime Minister just said that, well, the Prime Minister was only just a witness at your committee. He was happy to provide this information, as am I.
I believe also that the Clerk of the Privy Council did make reference to the questions I was asking around this and the due diligence around this that we were pushing on.
6:30 p.m.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
He did not say that the Prime Minister pulled it. Is that correct?
6:30 p.m.
Liberal
6:30 p.m.
Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, Office of the Prime Minister
I'm not certain what the clerk said to the committee, other than I do know that he made reference to the due diligence that we had asked for.
6:30 p.m.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
In your office, are people typically held responsible for errors? Who in government do you think has been held responsible for the errors that led to where we are today?
6:30 p.m.
Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, Office of the Prime Minister
Look, as I've already said, this obviously didn't roll out in the way we would have liked. A number of us, including me, share in that responsibility.
6:30 p.m.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
If this committee ordered all communications, emails and texts between the PMO and WE, would you comply with that order? This was a commitment made by your government when you came to office, that the PMO would release this type of information freely. Will you hide behind cabinet confidences and the Access to Information Act, or will you disclose this information?
6:30 p.m.
Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, Office of the Prime Minister
Mr. Barrett, I would have to seek advice on what I can and can't, when it comes to cabinet confidences.