Evidence of meeting #36 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 know.
A recording is available from Parliament.
8:45 a.m.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
Did Mr. Sauvé attend your fundraisers when you were a candidate in Vaudreuil—Soulanges?
8:45 a.m.
Former Minister of Public Works and Government Services, As an Individual
Look, if Mr. Sauvé attended them, I don't believe he donated money during my campaigns. So if he attended, he did so without being a donor.
8:45 a.m.
Liberal
8:45 a.m.
Former Minister of Public Works and Government Services, As an Individual
I don't know who Mr. Padulo is.
8:45 a.m.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
Tell me a little about your past at Crédit Suisse. Did you take part in the sale of the L'Unique group?
8:45 a.m.
Former Minister of Public Works and Government Services, As an Individual
No, not me.
8:45 a.m.
Former Minister of Public Works and Government Services, As an Individual
I was responsible for financing activities for large businesses in Quebec from 1999 to 2004.
8:45 a.m.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
And your role was... That was Crédit Suisse First Boston, wasn't it?
8:45 a.m.
Former Minister of Public Works and Government Services, As an Individual
Yes, it was called Credit Suisse First Boston. The name has changed. So I was responsible for activities involving what's called investment banking, mainly in Quebec. I was slightly involved in activities in the Maritimes, but my main playground was Quebec.
8:50 a.m.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
If it was for large businesses, it was also for purchases or sales, wasn't it?
8:50 a.m.
Former Minister of Public Works and Government Services, As an Individual
Yes, it was for public and private market financing, and the purchase and sale of businesses.
8:50 a.m.
Former Minister of Public Works and Government Services, As an Individual
No.
8:50 a.m.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
Did you know that the L'Unique group belonged to Crédit Suisse at the time before it was sold in 2004? Did you know that?
8:50 a.m.
Former Minister of Public Works and Government Services, As an Individual
No.
8:50 a.m.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
Let's go back to Mr. Côté. Did you have any knowledge of relations between Mr. Côté and Mr. Pichet, who was the assistant to Senator Pierre Claude Nolin?
8:50 a.m.
Former Minister of Public Works and Government Services, As an Individual
You want to know if I knew that they knew each other? Of course, since they had been party supporters for a long time.
8:50 a.m.
Liberal
8:50 a.m.
Former Minister of Public Works and Government Services, As an Individual
No.
8:50 a.m.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
No assistant of a government minister or senator told you it would be a good idea for you to take a look at such and such a file?
8:50 a.m.
Former Minister of Public Works and Government Services, As an Individual
Are you talking about the building renovations?
8:50 a.m.
Liberal
8:50 a.m.
Former Minister of Public Works and Government Services, As an Individual
In general, members came to see me from time to time to report an irregularity, an incident. For example, a company established in their constituency that had not obtained a contract was complaining that it had been awarded in a suspicious or dubious manner. However, no one solicited me when I was here to have a contract awarded to a corporation against the rules established by the Department of Public Works and Government Services.
8:50 a.m.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
Did you have any knowledge of any misappropriations? Did anyone tell you to watch out for any irregularities in the renovations file?