Evidence of meeting #7 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 president.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
Paul Dewar NDP Ottawa Centre, ON
Merci.
Mr. Chair, I know we've asked that when Mr. Braun and Mr. Gauthier come they bring those contracts with them. I just want to clarify. We've asked for those documents. Have we received them yet, do we know?
NDP
Paul Dewar NDP Ottawa Centre, ON
I think it's important, because what we've heard here is that the past practice and certainly the guidelines or the statute would allow signing authority to the president, but when it gets to contracts over a certain amount, there is a process or procedure for tendering contracts. That's why I just want to ensure that we have those documents.
Ideally, it was asked by one of my colleagues to have them before Mr. Braun and Mr. Gauthier appeared.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Dean Allison
True. As soon as we receive them, I'll have them sent out to all the members.
NDP
Paul Dewar NDP Ottawa Centre, ON
I just have to say, finally, Mr. Chair, through you to the employees, that we have here a picture that's not a pretty one of an institute that's to be promoting democracy and human rights. A horrible irony here is that we've seen, seemingly, a bullied staff and funds being distributed in a way that doesn't look helpful, when they should be used for working on human rights in places like Haiti, the Congo, and Afghanistan.
At least from what we've heard today, and from what I've read in terms of the brief, it seems that since we've had Mr. Braun at the helm, there's been interference, no direction, and clearly turning a venerable institution into one that is under question--and not because of the people who work for it.
Thank you.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Dean Allison
Thank you, Mr. Dewar.
We're now going to go to our second round, which will be five minutes for questions and answers, and we're going to start with Mr. Abbott.
Conservative
Jim Abbott Conservative Kootenay—Columbia, BC
Just 20 seconds before Mr. Lunney asks the questions, I want to restate forcefully that the role of this committee with Rights and Democracy is to study international policy and financial information. What we are doing here today is we are micromanaging. I state on behalf of the government members that this is the wrong purpose of this. It is not the purpose of this committee to do that.
That said, Mr. Lunney will be continuing this interrogation.
Bloc
Francine Lalonde Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
What Mr. Abbott says is not true. Our role is not to study international relations but to act through training, to support democracy and rights.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Dean Allison
Thank you, Madame Lalonde.
That's not a point of order, so we'll go back over to Mr. Lunney.
Conservative
James Lunney Conservative Nanaimo—Alberni, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
For Mr. Vallerand, though we appreciate the difficult circumstances we find ourselves in here, some questions have to be asked, because stuff is out in the media.
Did you communicate proprietary or confidential information about Rights and Democracy to members of the media without authorization?
As an Individual
No. I'm going to provide a fuller answer. As director of communications, I tried to respond—
It's been my job to answer the requests by media to the best of my knowledge without compromising the integrity of the institution, and while doing so, I've attempted to provide accurate information.
Conservative
James Lunney Conservative Nanaimo—Alberni, BC
Okay.
Did you tell a reporter from the National Post that all employees had signed the letter calling on members of the board to resign?
As an Individual
Well, the letter had already been leaked, so I did not have to comment on that, or maybe I confirmed that it had been signed by all staff, but it might have already been public knowledge by then.
Conservative
James Lunney Conservative Nanaimo—Alberni, BC
Was it in fact true that all employees had signed the letter, or did you seek their signatures after telling the National Post reporter that everyone had signed?
As an Individual
No, we actually offered to staff to sign the letter with a handwritten signature, because Mr. Brown himself had questioned the validity of that petition or letter. Obviously, I can tell you, as you've understood by now, this is an environment where people voluntarily sign documents under no pressure.
So it was offered that we should have an original signed, and there was a delay of probably 10 days for everyone to think through his or her decision, and eventually all but two staff signed it.
I should add that, actually, the head of our Haiti office and her second-in-command also, on their own, requested to sign the letter.
Conservative
James Lunney Conservative Nanaimo—Alberni, BC
Okay. So there was at least one staff member who actually was out of the country at the time and was therefore unable to sign the letter?
Conservative
James Lunney Conservative Nanaimo—Alberni, BC
You've already answered how the signatures were collected, and I think you said it was voluntarily.
Now was the letter in a public place within the office, or did you and others go from office to office actually seeking those signatures?
As an Individual
I was not personally involved with that sort of procedure. I don't know how it got signed. Maybe colleagues could comment on that.
Conservative
James Lunney Conservative Nanaimo—Alberni, BC
Would anybody else care to comment on that? Did anyone go door to door seeking signatures on that?
As an Individual
Absolutely. It was an employee who took the initiative of going door to door seeking signatures on the petition.
Conservative
James Lunney Conservative Nanaimo—Alberni, BC
I see.
Did anyone express concern to you about feeling pressure to sign? That was the one non-unionized employee. Is that what you're referring to?
As an Individual
I couldn't tell you whether anyone made any comments of that kind since I wasn't the one who carried the letter around. I didn't hear that people had been forced to sign it.
Conservative
James Lunney Conservative Nanaimo—Alberni, BC
Okay.
So had you heard anything formally or informally about a grievance being signed that was complaining about senior managers pressuring employees to sign?