Government Operations Committee on April 1st, 2008

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

The lawyers are Treasury Board lawyers.

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

Okay, but there were no other officials with Mr. Wouters. You had an individual, a 600-page contract, four hours, and that was it.

Can I ask you then about the confidentiality agreement that you entered into when you received the contract, which you then violated when you gave this information to the media? Did you ever contact the City of Ottawa or Siemens and ask them about the contract? I mean, they're the ones who drafted this contract. Did you talk to them before you went to the media and violated that confidentiality agreement?

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

I haven't violated any confidentiality.

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

Did you not receive the contract under a condition of confidentiality?

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

I have signed no agreement for confidentiality.

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

But was there not an understanding of—

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

We agreed that we would not release the whole agreement. I felt I could release the one small page—

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

They didn't feel the same way.

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

The privacy—

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

This is my last question.

Did you talk to Siemens or the city before you had that conversation?

[The Chair, Liberal, Diane Marleau]

Thank you.

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

Yes or no?

Could I get a yes or no?

[The Chair, Liberal, Diane Marleau]

He won't want to answer.

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

Okay, he doesn't want to answer.

[The Chair, Liberal, Diane Marleau]

We're going to go to Madame Bourgeois.

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Pardon me, Madam Chair--

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

He doesn't want to answer.

[The Chair, Liberal, Diane Marleau]

No, it's not at this time that he can answer.

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Are you making a value judgment, Madam Chair, of my conduct?

[The Chair, Liberal, Diane Marleau]

What's this?

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Are you making a value judgment that I don't want to answer the question?

[The Chair, Liberal, Diane Marleau]

Would you like to answer the question?

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

I'd be happy to.

[The Chair, Liberal, Diane Marleau]

Good. Go ahead.

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

I'm just curious as to you making a value judgment as to whether I wanted to answer.