Foreign Affairs Committee on April 15th, 2010

[Gérard Latulippe]

You know, one thing I'm bringing to this organization is that I am the first president who has a career in international development. In my career in international development, results-based is what we call aid effectiveness. Aid effectiveness means that you need to focus your program on where you can do better on the ground.

This needs skills. It needs qualifications. I have done that in many countries of the world. I think even within Rights and Democracy this is already growing. I will bring my experience to Rights and Democracy to improve the aid effectiveness, which in fact is one of the most important issues of development.

[James Lunney, Conservative, Nanaimo—Alberni, BC]

I certainly appreciate that answer, as we all want to make sure that the dollars that we put into difficult circumstances are actually getting results and not being diverted to ineffective uses.

Another thing you mentioned that I want to follow up on is something that was news to me, actually. I noticed you mentioned that in terms of funding, Rights and Democracy has about $9.2 million in core and about $3 million in additional funding through Foreign Affairs, CIDA, and so on to implement programs currently.

Something that was unknown to me was it is a charitable organization in Canada. If I've got the figure right, there were about $17,000 in donations last year. I know that Canadians are actually very generous, as was demonstrated through the recent situation in Haiti. You certainly have a lot of experience on the ground there. Do you have a plan to diversify the source of your funding in order to expand the range of options, services, and programs administered through Rights and Democracy?

[Gérard Latulippe]

I think we can raise more funds from private sources. I will tell you, I think Canadians are ready to put their money where they have their values. We can raise more private funds if we focus on specific causes.

I will give you an example. After the earthquake in Haiti, I'm absolutely convinced that Rights and Democracy could have raised a lot of funds to direct toward specific causes like the cause of the women who are victims of violence in the camps. I've seen it myself in the camps of those who have been displaced. This is an example of the causes where we can raise more funds.

In Burma or in Zimbabwe, we have developed a niche, the democratic voice of journalism. We can bring out of those countries that are closed the problem of human rights with the bloggers, with citizen journalists. I think we can raise private money for that.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Thank you very much, Mr. Lunney. We'll have to come back in the second round.

For the last question in the first round, Mr. Dewar, sir, seven minutes.

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you to our guest for appearing.

Mr. Latulippe, I understand that you've only been at the helm for a little while. But in that time, I understand from your previous answers that you've had some time to look at the affairs, financially, of the institute. I've been asking questions of the board members. One was Mr. Gauthier, who was the acting president prior to your taking over.

We're still waiting from Mr. Gauthier--I believe, Chair, we haven't received it yet--the contracts that he tendered and entered into with legal firms, communication firms, private investigative firms, and the auditing firm.

I'm wondering if you could share information with this committee. I'll start with legal bills. Do you have any idea, at this point, the sum of the legal bills that Mr. Gauthier entered into?

[Gérard Latulippe]

Yes, I will give that to you. I have a legal bill from Ogilvy Renault for $37,392.80.

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

For what period of time was that?

[Gérard Latulippe]

I don't have that here. I can provide it....

Oh, yes, I have it; it's until March 31, the end of the fiscal year.

We're still in discussion about the amount of money with Borden Ladner Gervais, but I will give you more or less the amount.

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Just so people know, that's another legal firm.

[Gérard Latulippe]

Yes, that's another legal firm.

It would be around $200,000, maybe a little more, maybe a little less.

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

It's $200,000. Over what period of time was that work?

[Gérard Latulippe]

It's exactly the same period of time, until March 31.

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

When was that contract entered into? Was it when Mr. Gauthier took over as the acting president?

[Gérard Latulippe]

Yes, that was it exactly. I don't exactly know the date.

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

So for about 60 days, it was $200,000?

[Gérard Latulippe]

I'm not sure exactly. I can provide it to you.

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

So it's $200,000 to date.

[Gérard Latulippe]

Yes, more or less, because, as I told you, I didn't complete the negotiations, the discussions with them.

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Okay.

Are there any other bills from legal firms that you're aware of?

[Gérard Latulippe]

I saw that there might be one more, but I'm not aware of any others.

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

You've been more forthcoming than he was, because he couldn't even give me a ballpark figure. I appreciate that.

What about Prima Communication?

[Gérard Latulippe]

For Prima Communication, I think it's a little less than $10,000, or it's around $10,000.

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

That contract has been ended now?

[Gérard Latulippe]

There was some for the hearings. I don't think it's ended now, just as the other ones are not necessarily ending. There will still be some--

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

So they were hired to do work for them.