Evidence of meeting #23 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 snowdy.
A recording is available from Parliament.
3:35 p.m.
Liberal
Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
I guess what I'm getting at is that when Mr. Snowdy testified before committee, he said, “I have nothing, no evidence or information, with respect to the conduct of Madam Guergis in my possession or knowledge.” He didn't provide any documentation.
I'm hearing from you that he said he had something or that he alluded to the fact that Madam Guergis was involved in something. I'm hearing that from you. That's not what we heard from Mr. Snowdy. Can you tell me where the discrepancy lies?
3:35 p.m.
Partner, Cassels, Brock & Blackwell LLP
I think the disconnect might be in this. At no time in our phone call that night, or in fact the next day when we met at my office, did I ask him to enumerate statutes that had been violated, or Criminal Code offences. Frankly, as a lawyer, when I'm trying to understand a factual matrix, I'm not interested in somebody else's subjective interpretations of events.
3:35 p.m.
Liberal
Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
Well, I think this is interesting. If you're looking for the factual matrixes, what I'm understanding...and this is from the Ethics Commissioner. She confirmed that Mr. Snowdy was the sole source of the information about Madam Guergis, and that was told by you, is what we understand from the Ethics Commissioner. I have her testimony here.
3:35 p.m.
Partner, Cassels, Brock & Blackwell LLP
Mr. Snowdy was not the sole source of the information.
3:35 p.m.
Liberal
Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
Who was the other source? If you're looking at the factual matrix, you've taken--as we understand it--the comments by one individual. You've said there were more allegations; from whom, and how did they come about?
3:35 p.m.
Partner, Cassels, Brock & Blackwell LLP
Ms. Guergis was her own source, and there were others that--
3:35 p.m.
Liberal
3:35 p.m.
Partner, Cassels, Brock & Blackwell LLP
There were other sources, and their names remain privileged information. I'm not at liberty to divulge those to this committee.
3:35 p.m.
Liberal
Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
Just so we understand, this is attorney-client privilege between you and the Conservative Party? Is that why you're not telling us what's going on here today?
3:35 p.m.
Partner, Cassels, Brock & Blackwell LLP
It's in part attorney-client privilege. There are also other privileges in play, including the lawyer's work product privilege.
3:35 p.m.
Liberal
Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
So--in order for us to do our investigation--what you're saying is that other people came forward with allegations: were they around the time of April 8 and April 9?
3:35 p.m.
Partner, Cassels, Brock & Blackwell LLP
I didn't say other people came forward with allegations. Other people were the source of information, which I put into the factual matrix.
3:40 p.m.
Liberal
Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
I'd like to ask you for your notes on calls, meetings, perhaps e-mails that you have between you and Mr. Snowdy. This is around April 8, April 9. That's the first time you met with Mr. Snowdy, is it not, the April 8 phone conversation?
3:40 p.m.
Partner, Cassels, Brock & Blackwell LLP
There were no notes in respect of that.
3:40 p.m.
Partner, Cassels, Brock & Blackwell LLP
I tracked Mr. Snowdy down by doing a Google search and then found him through one of his existing companies and their answering service. I reached one of his night supervisors, who I implored to have Mr. Snowdy call me back.
3:40 p.m.
Liberal
3:40 p.m.
Partner, Cassels, Brock & Blackwell LLP
I have personal notes on the phone call.
3:40 p.m.
Liberal
3:40 p.m.
Liberal
Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
By whom? You have no client-attorney privilege between Mr. Snowdy and you.
3:40 p.m.
Partner, Cassels, Brock & Blackwell LLP
They are my solicitor work product.
3:40 p.m.
Liberal
Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
I'll come back to that point. I'd like to argue it, but I want to make sure I have legal basis.
So you provided information to the Prime Minister's Office around the April 8 or 9 timeframe when you were discussing it with Mr. Snowdy. You said you brought in other potential allegations....
Is someone getting me that information about whether an attorney's work product is privileged?