Evidence of meeting #15 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 39th Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was meeting.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Deputy Press Secretary, Office of the Prime Minister
The three levels of government indicated their preference. The Port of Montreal will decide this independently. The final decision rests with the Board of Directors and the government will respect and support that decision.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
That was not the question I asked you, Mr. Soudas. I understand very well how the process works. I asked if you, Mr. Dimitri Soudas, lobbied personally on behalf of one of the candidates.
Deputy Press Secretary, Office of the Prime Minister
As I said, the three levels of government indicated their preference. That being said, the Montreal Port Authority and the Board of Directors make their own decisions when it comes to hiring a President and CEO. Ultimately, they selected someone for the position. The Government of Canada respects and supports this decision.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
I think we can draw some conclusions from your comments. Often, failure to answer a question is an answer in and of itself.
Did you meet with members of the Board of Directors of the port authority?
Deputy Press Secretary, Office of the Prime Minister
I meet with a number of people in Montreal, in Ottawa and elsewhere when I travel, and I am acquainted with several members of the Board of Directors of the Port of Montreal.
Liberal
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
Did you speak with them over the telephone? People do not always meet in person. I know that Mr. Rosenberg did not always meet with people in person. Occasionally, he speaks to them over the phone or sends them an e-mail. Were you in touch with the members of the Board of Directors?
Deputy Press Secretary, Office of the Prime Minister
I cannot recall. As I said, I know several board members. The Board of Directors acts independently when it comes to making decisions.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
SInce by law the CEO of the Port of Montreal is appointed by the Board of Directors, why would the PMO intervene in this matter? Because we did receive confirmation that the PMO intervened.
Deputy Press Secretary, Office of the Prime Minister
As I told you, the three levels of government indicated their preference. As for appointing the next CEO, the decision ultimately rests with the Board of Directors of the Port of Montreal. The Board made a decision, one that the government respects and fully supports.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
Thank you, Mr. Soudas. Since I do not have much time, I will have to interrupt you.
Do you speak French, Mr. Rosenberg?
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
Let me ask my questions in English; it will go a little faster, because there's so very little time.
Mr. Rosenberg, did you intervene in favour of the Conservative Party in the last 2006 partial election in Outremont riding?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Rosdev Group
I belong to a committee, an organization, called JOCC. I'm part of that committee. We sometimes endorse certain people and certain government elections. It is all based strictly on their track record, what they've done for the city and what they've done for our community. Sometimes we endorse the Liberal Party; sometimes we endorse nobody.
During the last one, actually, we did not endorse anybody because Jean Lapierre's record wasn't that great and the Conservatives didn't have much of a chance. So everybody did whatever they wanted. Actually, I endorsed Tom Mulcair. He's a good friend of mine and a smart man.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
Thank you. I'm going to have to cut you off, because I have so very little time. Forgive me.
Did you give any monetary gifts to the Conservative Party or to one of its candidates in the last five years?
February 28th, 2008 / 10:30 a.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Rosdev Group
I did. As I said before, I was trying to be fair and gave to all parties more or less equally.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
Did you pay anyone to represent your interests to the present government?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Rosdev Group
No, I did not hire anybody or mandate anybody.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
Could you explain to us what Mr. John Lemieux's role was in the affair of your buildings?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Rosdev Group
John Lemieux is a counsel, a lawyer, who I work with on many different files. I do consult him and his company on the legal matters.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
Did you mandate Mr. Lemieux to—I don't know how to say this in English, de faire des démarches--actually intervene with the cabinet of Mr. Fortier or with Public Works?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Rosdev Group
I did not mandate him specifically for that, no.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
You did not specifically for that, but you did talk to him about the possibility of him being involved?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Rosdev Group
I discussed the file with him, but I did not mandate him to intervene.