Evidence of meeting #40 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 sauvé.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Well, again we have contradictory testimony. He swears on a Bible that it is true. He even said the coat was from Holt Renfrew. Now you're trying to ask us to believe you got it at Giant Tiger or Value Village or someplace.
Conservative
Christian Paradis Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
You are insulting a good manufacturer in my riding.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
Thank you, Mr. Martin. Unfortunately, your time is over.
As I turn the matter over to Mr. Regan, I'll just caution all members on the use of parliamentary language.
Liberal
Geoff Regan Liberal Halifax West, NS
Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
I know we're all proud of manufacturers in our own ridings, of course.
Mr. Minister, how did your team in your office decide where to send you in terms of different events? In other words, how would your team have made the decision about where to send you?
Conservative
Christian Paradis Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
About that cocktail, as I have told you, I was approached by the EDA president at the time, Mr. Prud'Homme, and I accepted to go and help in good faith.
Liberal
Geoff Regan Liberal Halifax West, NS
This wasn't your staff; this wasn't a case of him calling your office and talking to Mr. Mailhot or another assistant. He talked to you directly, you say.
Conservative
Christian Paradis Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
I myself was on the ground at a political event, in December 2008, and I was asked by members from Bourassa riding to help at a fundraiser. I decided to attend in good faith.
As I just told Mr. Coderre, we were restructuring the entire political organization in Quebec at the time, so in the meantime I dealt with the EDA directly.
Liberal
Geoff Regan Liberal Halifax West, NS
Now I'm a little confused. First you said Mr. Prud'Homme asked you, and then a moment ago you said you were asked by people from the riding association.
Liberal
Geoff Regan Liberal Halifax West, NS
It was Prud'Homme. All right.
How did you know Prud'Homme, and how well did you know him?
Conservative
Christian Paradis Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
As I just said, I met him a couple of times. I saw him at the Winnipeg convention that we held in November 2008, right before the last election. I also saw him at a political event in December 2008. I was asked to attend a fundraiser that occurred a few weeks after that, in January.
Conservative
Christian Paradis Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
No, I don't know him very well. I saw him a couple of times before the event.
Liberal
Geoff Regan Liberal Halifax West, NS
Now, you say that you met Mr. Varin once, but in fact he testified here in this committee that he had met you several times at cocktails. You're telling us you only met him once. Which do we believe?
Conservative
Christian Paradis Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
What I just said is that the discussion I had with him that I recall well was at that cocktail in January. This is where I saw him. After that, maybe I saw him somewhere else, but I don't recall.
Liberal
November 30th, 2010 / 9:10 a.m.
Conservative
Christian Paradis Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
Yes, but it doesn't mean I know him very well. I don't have any souvenir about that.
Liberal
Geoff Regan Liberal Halifax West, NS
That's fine. I just want to nail this down; I'm sorry.
Now, you knew that Sauvé organized this fundraiser.