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.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Derrick Snowdy  As an Individual
Richard Denis  Procedural Clerk

3:40 p.m.

As an Individual

Derrick Snowdy

Do you mean understood by the client as they relayed it to me?

3:40 p.m.

Liberal

Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL

Yes.

3:40 p.m.

As an Individual

Derrick Snowdy

It was their understanding that this was the back door.

3:40 p.m.

Liberal

Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL

So Mr. Jaffer could get them in the back door of government to give them privileged access or special access--whatever word you want to use--to getting green funds?

3:40 p.m.

As an Individual

Derrick Snowdy

That was their understanding.

3:40 p.m.

Liberal

Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL

Did they understand that access would be secured on their behalf? What was their understanding of how Mr. Jaffer was going to get paid for that service?

3:40 p.m.

As an Individual

Derrick Snowdy

I don't think they had an understanding of how Mr. Jaffer would get paid. That went more to the previous business schemes that Mr. Gillani had put in place as to how his partners are compensated.

3:40 p.m.

Liberal

Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL

I assume that's the contract they had that talked about finder's fees.

Were you aware of anything that Mr. Jaffer did do for your client, besides the offer of special access, privileged access, backroom access, or whatever word you want to use? Are you aware of anything that he actually did deliver for the client?

3:40 p.m.

As an Individual

Derrick Snowdy

Well, because he was in business with Mr. Gillani, and Mr. Gillani has never actually delivered on anything, I think the safe answer to that is no.

3:40 p.m.

Liberal

Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL

Can you also help me with a point of confusion? I understand that you had a meeting on or about August 7 at which Gillani claimed to have a connection to the Tory party, the Conservative Party, through Mr. Jaffer. The date that's been circulated was in early August.

3:40 p.m.

As an Individual

Derrick Snowdy

It was a Wednesday night on King Street in Toronto. I believe it was August 5. I think most people are saying it was August 7 because they're looking at their credit card records, which show the transaction posted after midnight.

3:40 p.m.

Liberal

Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL

What exactly transpired at that meeting? Mr. Gillani has said that he didn't meet Mr. Jaffer until the end of August. I'm just trying to establish timelines here so that we can look at what Mr. Jaffer was offering to the clients.

3:40 p.m.

As an Individual

Derrick Snowdy

We took a look at that situation, and of course we did a post-mortem as anybody else would do. Given Mr. Gillani's previous conduct, we feel that he was a scheduled introduction. He obviously took the leap to identify Mr. Jaffer as a current business partner.

3:40 p.m.

Liberal

Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL

I have one more quick thing before they tell me my time is up. Have you kept good records of all this?

3:40 p.m.

As an Individual

Derrick Snowdy

We kept record notes--

3:40 p.m.

Liberal

Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL

Could the committee have your notes tabled? I'd like to ask that you actually provide copies of those to the committee so that we can see the timelines and how this transpired.

3:40 p.m.

As an Individual

Derrick Snowdy

There is a provincial law with respect to how the work product is governed for licensed investigators in the Province of Ontario--

3:40 p.m.

Liberal

Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL

Can I ask the chair to take that under advisement?

3:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi

I will take it under advisement. I have legal counsel here as well that I can consult.

3:40 p.m.

As an Individual

Derrick Snowdy

Thank you.

3:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi

Thank you, Ms. Coady.

We're now going to Monsieur Guimond for huit minutes, s'il vous plaît.

May 12th, 2010 / 3:40 p.m.

Bloc

Michel Guimond Bloc Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord, QC

Thank you, Madam Chair. Mr. Snowdy, thank you for being here.

Mr. Snowdy, Minister Guergis seems not to know the reasons why she has been expelled from cabinet and from the Conservative caucus. In the House, Prime Minister Harper refuses to reveal to us the reasons why he did it. He must have had reasons for doing so. Do you have any reasons to give us? What is your opinion on the dismissal on Helena Guergis? What do you think are the reasons why she was expelled from the Conservative caucus?

3:40 p.m.

As an Individual

Derrick Snowdy

I think you're asking me to speculate on what the Prime Minister--

3:40 p.m.

Bloc

Michel Guimond Bloc Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord, QC

I'm not asking you to speculate. Can you inform the committee members about the reasons in question? Do you have any information or evidence that might incriminate the conduct of Helena Guergis?

3:40 p.m.

As an Individual

Derrick Snowdy

I have nothing, no evidence or information, with respect to the conduct of Ms. Guergis in my possession or knowledge.