Finance Committee on July 30th, 2020

[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.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

I believe Ms. Telford is agreeing to provide us with the names after she looks at her records.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

On a point of order, Mr. Chair, that's not what we've been told.

[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?

[Katie Telford]

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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[Katie Telford]

Just to be clear, I didn't enumerate, as alleged earlier, the exact number of staff. I said there was a—

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

You said a handful and usually that means five.

[Katie Telford]

—handful of interactions.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Go ahead, Ms. Telford, before you were interrupted.

[Katie Telford]

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.

[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?

[Katie Telford]

I would want to check before I give them to the committee.

[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?

[Katie Telford]

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.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Yes, he did.

Mr. Barrett.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

He did not say that the Prime Minister pulled it. Is that correct?

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

No, I believe what he said was due diligence.

Ms. Telford.

[Katie Telford]

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.

[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?

[Katie Telford]

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.

[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?

[Katie Telford]

Mr. Barrett, I would have to seek advice on what I can and can't, when it comes to cabinet confidences.