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.
10:25 a.m.
Former Minister of Public Works and Government Services, As an Individual
No, but it's interesting that you've pointed that out to me. I had one at the very start, and I intended to have them regularly. I gave a breakfast at the very start and that gentleman was not there. We didn't hold any others after that.
10:25 a.m.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
All right.
Mr. Broccolini, Mr. Padulo sold you a ticket to the fundraiser, obviously thinking that you would have the opportunity to meet the minister and to give him your view of the situation. At that time, Mr. Fortier was the minister responsible for the bids in which you took part.
When you were angry, did you try to contact the minister's office? Earlier you told me that you didn't know him and that you hadn't met him. However, did you try to speak to a few individuals in his office? Is Bernard Côté someone you know?
10:30 a.m.
Vice-President, Montreal, Broccolini Construction Inc.
I don't know Bernard Côté. In my case, it wasn't Minister Fortier. It was Minister Paradis at the time.
10:30 a.m.
Vice-President, Montreal, Broccolini Construction Inc.
It was Minister Paradis at the fundraiser.
10:30 a.m.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
So that means you had been angry since 2007? Didn't you get angry in 2009?
10:30 a.m.
Former Minister of Public Works and Government Services, As an Individual
He got angry in 2008.
10:30 a.m.
Vice-President, Montreal, Broccolini Construction Inc.
In 2008, we submitted our first bid, on September 15.
10:30 a.m.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
I understand that. Mr. Broccolini, I also understand that the contract was reopened and finalized, and you nevertheless won it. I'm talking about the one in 2007, which was in fact redone in 2008.
I also understand that you are angry because, not incidentally, you might have liked to bid on another contract in the Gatineau region, mightn't you? Could you tell me about that? Ultimately, you don't understand since there were two bidding processes. You didn't think there were any others, but you discovered that there was another one. As people already knew your prices and that bid corresponded to that, you would have liked to bid on that contract.
Does all that mean anything to you?
10:30 a.m.
Vice-President, Montreal, Broccolini Construction Inc.
The bids were announced on MERX. So when the two projects came out at the same time, we were surprised.
10:30 a.m.
Vice-President, Montreal, Broccolini Construction Inc.
Yes, but we bid on both.
10:30 a.m.
Liberal
10:30 a.m.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
Did you sense that, since you had won the other two contracts, another contract had been opened so that the other bidder that thought it had won got a new contract? Could it be that, at one point, since you had won both bids, there was a split in order to award another contract, since you had not won it, to another bidder? Did you get that sense?
10:30 a.m.
Vice-President, Montreal, Broccolini Construction Inc.
You're talking about the third contract?
10:30 a.m.
Vice-President, Montreal, Broccolini Construction Inc.
We weren't at all aware of the third contract. If we had been, we would have bid on that contract as well, and we might perhaps have won it.
10:30 a.m.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
Was that going on at the time of the fundraiser at Da Enrico restaurant? Did you subsequently know that, or were you aware of that when you met Minister Paradis at the fundraiser?
10:30 a.m.
Vice-President, Montreal, Broccolini Construction Inc.
We didn't discuss a third or even a second contract. We just discussed 22 Eddy Street and our first bid dated September 15, which was subsequently cancelled.
10:30 a.m.
Liberal