Evidence of meeting #17 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 40th Parliament, 3rd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was gillani.
A recording is available from Parliament.
As an Individual
We had a brief discussion with respect to the attention the opposition parties were paying to her over the previous 12 to 18 months--
Liberal
Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
Can you be specific on that? I don't mean the recent ones of February in P.E.I., but over the 18 months....
As an Individual
I think it went back.... I'm not sure what the earliest issue was, going back. I'd have to look. It wasn't a formalized conversation.
Liberal
Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
Did anything you said to Mr. Hamilton in any way implicate Ms. Guergis, apart from that one dinner with Mr. Gillani and being married to Mr. Jaffer?
Liberal
Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
Did you say anything or did you speak to Mr. Hamilton about anything to implicate Madam Guergis, apart from that one dinner with Mr. Gillani and being married to Mr. Jaffer?
As an Individual
We discussed some coincidences with respect to the case. As an example, of all the offshore banking havens around the world, why was Belize on this list? I mean, it was a strange country to have on a list.
Liberal
Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
Is there anything else beside Belize?
Then I need to table a document.
As an Individual
I can't think of anything off the top of my head. Arthur and I both agreed we probably should have recorded the meeting, just for our own sakes, at this point.
Liberal
Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
I also have to table a statement, Madam Chair, from Fasken Martineau. It begins by saying:
Fasken Martineau, a leading international business law and litigation firm, made the following statement concerning comments made today before a House of Commons committee.
Mr. Brown was referring to it in his questioning.
In November 2006, Mr. Nazim Gillani of International Strategic Investments approached Fasken Martineau through one its partners, Alfred Apps, in connection with legal advice/services for International Strategic Investments.
Mr. Apps met with Mr. Gillani, received documents from Mr. Gillani and accepted a retainer cheque from Mr. Gillani...
Very shortly thereafter, Fasken Martineau declined to act on behalf of International Strategic Investments. Mr. Apps so advised Mr. Gillani and returned the retainer to Mr. Gillani.
I'd like to table this.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
Fair enough.
Thank you, Ms. Coady.
We will now go to Mr. Warkentin for five minutes.
Conservative
Chris Warkentin Conservative Peace River, AB
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Obviously we don't have Mr. Apps here today. We have Mr. Snowdy, but the question I'd ask Mr. Apps is about the statement that the relationship was discontinued shortly thereafter. They don't specify the length of time in that statement. We would certainly be interested at this committee as to how long that relationship continued.
I'm wondering, Mr. Snowdy, if you know when the relationship with that law firm.... Earlier you referred to some documents that relate to the relationship. Do you have any dates on those documents?
As an Individual
There are dates on the statement of claim, the counterclaim, and the affidavit from the lawyer acting for Teplitsky, Colson, who's now over at Blaney McMurtry.
The “07” obviously indicates that it is a 2007 court matter, and the email with respect to the application to be removed from the action, submitted as an item to support the affidavit of the applying counsel, was dated March 10, 2008.
Conservative
Chris Warkentin Conservative Peace River, AB
Okay, so there was action initiated by Mr. Apps' firm. It wasn't simply a returning of the documents. You're suggesting that, in fact, there was--
Liberal
Alexandra Mendes Liberal Brossard—La Prairie, QC
I would like to ask, Madam Chair, that those documents be tabled, please.
Liberal
Conservative
Chris Warkentin Conservative Peace River, AB
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I think that would be helpful. We all would be interested in those documents, because I think they may help establish the timeframe in which this cozy relationship continued.
Today we've covered a number of different things. Obviously, as you stated earlier, we've had a committee meeting that discussed many things, but we didn't get too much discussion as it related to renewable energy projects. You stated earlier that you had little or no information as it related to the green fund. I want to clarify that again. Do you have any information as it relates to funds being allocated to different projects from the green fund or things that are funded by the government for renewable energy projects?
Conservative
Chris Warkentin Conservative Peace River, AB
Okay.
Madam Chair, the motion that we originally had in this committee was related to those types of projects. We were very interested, as a committee, to ensure that taxpayer dollars weren't going to places that they shouldn't have gone. Clearly today we haven't moved forward in terms of that study. Certainly we appreciate the information that you've brought, Mr. Snowdy, but to be honest, it is of limited relevance to the study that we're currently undertaking. You've already stated in general terms that you have no information as it relates to renewable energy projects that are funded by the government either.
Madam Chair, I think we have some committee business that we would like to attend to in this committee. There are probably other people who would like to ask questions, so I will turn my time over to those members, and then I think we should get on with the committee business.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
This is the will of the committee. The study is being done, and Mr. Snowdy was the chief architect of information, so I would like to--