Evidence of meeting #10 for Foreign Affairs and International Development in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was know.
A recording is available from Parliament.
11:45 a.m.
President, Rights & Democracy
I can tell you that the cost has been substantially reduced since I've been there, but I'm just telling you the cost. I'm not there to judge the reason.
11:45 a.m.
President, Rights & Democracy
Yes, on facts; that's it. There were urgencies.
11:45 a.m.
NDP
Paul Dewar NDP Ottawa Centre, ON
Just to be clear here, Prima Communication is still on contract with Rights and Democracy as far as you know?
11:45 a.m.
President, Rights & Democracy
There's the last contract that is still there. But as you know, my daughter is here today.
11:45 a.m.
NDP
Paul Dewar NDP Ottawa Centre, ON
Right. But I'm asking that because my understanding, from what you're saying, is that Prima Communication was hired to help the board at the last hearings, for instance.
11:45 a.m.
President, Rights & Democracy
Well, I don't have information about Prima Communication because I took the information more about the other firms. Personally I can supply that to you without any problem in the future. I don't have the exact...and so I prefer to take some time to give it to you.
11:45 a.m.
NDP
Paul Dewar NDP Ottawa Centre, ON
That would be helpful.
Do we have any idea how much the bill from the private investigative firm SIRCO is for?
11:50 a.m.
NDP
11:50 a.m.
President, Rights & Democracy
I met SIRCO and Deloitte, and I asked for reports.
11:50 a.m.
President, Rights & Democracy
I think so. I'm not sure. I met with them, and I said I wanted a report.
11:50 a.m.
NDP
Paul Dewar NDP Ottawa Centre, ON
What does SIRCO do? What were they doing for Rights and Democracy, as far as you can tell?
11:50 a.m.
President, Rights & Democracy
I cannot enter into the details. I will tell you that what they did was related to the firing of the three directors. So this is something that will be useful, that will be used in court, because those issues are actually in front of the court or the arbitration court.
11:50 a.m.
NDP
Paul Dewar NDP Ottawa Centre, ON
Well, we know what the board did. Now we know how much it cost.
How much has been spent on the auditing firm Deloitte and Touche to date?
11:50 a.m.
President, Rights & Democracy
The cost from the auditing firm is $68,000. As a matter of fact, I'm looking forward to the report of Deloitte and Touche, because I think this is a very important report that will be able to clear the air, give us the situation, and bring change if there has to be change within the organization. I'm really looking forward to this report. I met with them, and I asked them to accelerate their report as much as possible. They told me that they are going to do so.
11:50 a.m.
NDP
Paul Dewar NDP Ottawa Centre, ON
So their file is still active, their contract is still active, and they haven't finished their work yet?
11:50 a.m.
President, Rights & Democracy
No, because I already asked them for the report.
11:50 a.m.
NDP
Paul Dewar NDP Ottawa Centre, ON
You already mentioned Mr. Gauthier's honorarium. There was something that came out the other day, which surprised many of us. One of the board members was hired to be a consultant to, I believe, Mr. Gauthier. I'm wondering if you knew anything about that. There were suggestions that the contract would have been...I don't know for how much, but are you aware of any board members being paid on contract to help Mr. Gauthier do his work and, if so, who that was?
11:50 a.m.
President, Rights & Democracy
Mr. Dewar, like you, this is something I have just learned at the hearing. You will notice that I am trying to act as fast as possible and to be as transparent as I can.
I have tried to find the information, and first, there was no contract with Mr. Navarro-Genie. Second, I understand it's the practice that on these boards you can have an advisor who is a member of the board. That's not only within Rights and Democracy but the whole system. He was hired and paid with the tariff that is applicable to the board members, $325 a day, and he received $2,925.
11:50 a.m.
NDP
Paul Dewar NDP Ottawa Centre, ON
So for the record, Mr. Navarro-Genie received that amount--over $2,000--to provide his advice to Mr. Gauthier's office?
11:50 a.m.
President, Rights & Democracy
I was not there for the details, but I understand, Mr. Dewar--I more than understand--that this was a practice before Mr. Payam Akhavan was there, and before that. It was there during other presidencies, not only the presidency--