Finance Committee on Dec. 13th, 2021

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

That's for the Auditor General.

[Julie Dzerowicz, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

No. What's the relevance of the question to Bill C-2?

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Fonseca]

It's a political question.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Do you know what the people around this table are called?

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Fonseca]

We are politicians, Mr. Poilievre—

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

They're called politicians, so there are political questions when politicians speak.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Fonseca]

—but the officials are not politicians, Mr. Poilievre.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

I'm asking about her office. This is her office, and her office is supposed to be apolitical, despite this contract to a Liberal lobbyist.

The question I have for the Auditor General is whether or not that happened.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Fonseca]

Is it relevant to Bill C-2?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

It is relevant.

[Julie Dzerowicz, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

How is it relevant, Mr. Chair?

I have a point of order. What's the relevance to Bill C-2?

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Fonseca]

What is the relevance to Bill C-2, Mr. Poilievre?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

The Auditor General is going to have to scrutinize the spending. If she's presenting audits to Liberal lobbyists before they get to parliamentary committees, we don't know whether those audits are going to be impartial and apolitical, as you've suggested they should be. That's the relevance.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Fonseca]

Mr. Poilievre, again, it is a political question. We are politicians, but the officials are not politicians.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

That's why it's so concerning that her office is hiring a Liberal lobbyist to preview audits before they get published. That's the point of my question.

If the Auditor General could please answer that question, I'd appreciate it.

[Karen Hogan]

Mr. Chair, would you like me to proceed?

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Fonseca]

Yes, Ms. Hogan.

[Karen Hogan]

The contract in question is one that's given to media coaches who prepare me and other senior officials in my office as we prepare to release and table reports. That audit is finalized and completely done, and we ensure that we have points of view that represent all political parties and all different interests across the country.

That is how we ensure that our work is diverse and addresses the issues of all Canadians.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

The question was very specific.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Fonseca]

I apologize. The time is actually up, Mr. Poilievre.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

I have a point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Fonseca]

We've gone well beyond the time.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Fonseca]

Yes, Mr. Poilievre.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

We're going to have to get straight how it works here. You don't get to decide what I get to say.