Evidence of meeting #38 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 varin.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
Perfect.
I would like to come back to the matter of the $140,000, because you mentioned some names earlier. You referred to Mr. Pilote, and to Mr. Pichet, a former Conservative candidate in La Pointe-de-l'Île who is now assistant to Senator Nolin. You also referred to Senator Nolin and Mr. Varin. I note that you made your first payment to Gilles Varin the day after the tender call came out. In your opinion, is there a cause-and-effect relationship between the $140,000 and winning the contract?
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
Did you distribute certain amounts out of that $140,000? For example, did you decide that 25% of that money would go to Gilles Varin and another percentage to the people you mentioned in your PowerPoint presentation? How was the $140,000 divided up? Were there specific shares?
President, LM Sauvé
I heard Mr. Varin say on a number of occasions that he would walk through the halls of city hall and Parliament with felt boots, so I presume that he was distributing that money. On the other hand, Mr. Varin was paid on the basis of a retainer fee. So, without being able to track that money, I can't tell you exactly where it went.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
Did Mr. Varin tell you that the $140,000 would be divided up among certain individuals in Ottawa?
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
Did he say to whom he gave the money? Did he give any to Senator Nolin, Mr. Pichet or Mr. Pilote, for example? How did that work?
President, LM Sauvé
What he said was that he had very close ties to Hubert Pichet and Senator Nolin.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
But you didn't actually see it yourself; you have no evidence that he gave them that money?
President, LM Sauvé
What he said was that people were working for him in Ottawa, inside the House of Commons.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
When we heard from Mr. Varin, he said that, ultimately, he was only your strategic advisor and that all he did was provide some literature for the job. So, you're saying that's not true?
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
How did your meeting go at the Mas des Oliviers, which you respectfully call the Quebec Conservatives' headquarters?
President, LM Sauvé
Well, it was quite something. At the back of the restaurant, Hubert Pichet appeared with a parliamentary pass, and Mr. Varin asked me to change tables. I felt a little uncomfortable. When I sat down, Mr. Pichet immediately started talking about the issue affecting construction companies in Quebec, and the problems they were having winning contracts on Parliament Hill. He said that things were going to change, and that it was thanks to his efforts and those of some other people that things would change.
President, LM Sauvé
I mean it was a closed circle, that it was very difficult to win contracts as a Quebec contractor and that it was practically impossible to win contracts on Parliament Hill.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
When you were asked to change tables, I imagine you were taken to a quieter corner?
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
So, he didn't just come and say hello, and the meeting did not last only five or ten minutes.
President, LM Sauvé
There was nothing accidental about that meeting.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
In other words, a meeting between Gilles Varin, Hubert Pichet and yourself was planned.
President, LM Sauvé
Yes, absolutely. Mr. Varin expressly stated that he would be there.