Excuse me.
Evidence of meeting #42 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.
Evidence of meeting #42 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.
9:10 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
Excuse me for interrupting you, Mr. Prud'Homme, but Mr. Coderre wants to say something.
9:10 a.m.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
A point of order, Mr. Chair. I would ask the clerk to swear the witness.
9:10 a.m.
Gilles Prud'homme
I, Gilles Prud'Homme, swear that I will tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth in my testimony, so help me God.
9:10 a.m.
Liberal
9:10 a.m.
Gilles Prud'homme
Good morning. It is a pleasure to be here with you.
I apologize for the delay, which was caused by a snowstorm in Montreal. It would have been almost impossible for me to make the trip last night, so I left at 4:30 this morning and I got delayed a little on the way.
I am going to speak in French, but I will be able to understand questions in English perfectly well. To be sure to use the right words, I will answer in French.
I am pleased to be with you because I have nothing to feel guilty about. I am not aware of any situation relating to the contract that is the subject of the committee's study. Contrary to what the member for Bourassa has insinuated, I was not hiding. It was easy for the clerk to find me. I called him back immediately. We have spoken on several occasions. I am not engaging in any strong-arm tactics against anyone, and I have no connections in the construction industry. So I am very pleased that I am going to answer questions and thus dispel any malicious insinuation that someone who enjoys privilege might make against me.
9:15 a.m.
Liberal
9:15 a.m.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
Mr. Chair, I would like to remind the witness that it was the clerk who said he had a great deal of difficulty reaching him.
Given that difficulty, we asked that a summons be issued, and that was when the telephone started working.
Mr. Prud'Homme, how long have you been a Conservative?
9:15 a.m.
Gilles Prud'homme
Since 1977.
9:15 a.m.
Liberal
9:15 a.m.
Gilles Prud'homme
Since 2005. I haven't had a membership card for a few years. However, I was registered as a member of the Liberal Party, without my consent, at one of your spaghetti dinners in 2004.
9:15 a.m.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
That would surprise me.
Mr. Prud'Homme, who brought you into Mr. Harper's Conservative Party?
9:15 a.m.
Gilles Prud'homme
I contacted people I knew in the Conservative Party myself. I did that through the office of Jean-Pierre Blackburn, a man I respect a lot, who was already the Progressive Conservative member of Parliament at that time. I knew people who had been part of the Progressive Conservative network in the 1980s.
9:15 a.m.
Gilles Prud'homme
I don't know Gilles Varin very well. I know who he is; I have crossed paths with him, I've said hello, but I have no connection with him. I don't know him.
9:15 a.m.
Gilles Prud'homme
Paul Sauvé came to meet me on November 15, 2008, in a hotel in Dorval—I think it was the Four Points—at an event organized in honour of the Casa d'Italia. He introduced himself to me. During the conversation, he learned that I was the president of the Progressive Conservative riding association in Bourassa and I intended to donate money during January or February. The election had just ended; we didn't know what would happen. That was the first time I met him.
9:15 a.m.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
Mr. Sauvé swore on the Bible that you had told him that since he had been awarded a contract, he had to organize fundraising activities, and he should hold several activities, including in Bourassa riding.
9:15 a.m.
Gilles Prud'homme
No, I did not say that to Mr. Sauvé.
After the event on November 15, I met Mr. Sauvé for lunch at the Da Emma restaurant, in Old Montreal, in December. I told him that after the campaign, the association had a shortfall of $10,000 and that we were organizing a cocktail party or evening event with Mr. Padulo. It remained to be confirmed, along with the date, because Mr. Paradis, who was then the minister responsible for the Montreal region, and that is why he was there, did not have his datebook with him then.
Because he had told me on November 15 that he was a Conservative Party sympathizer, I asked him whether he was interested in helping us. He said he was prepared to sell some tickets and Mr. Padulo said he would sell some as well.
9:15 a.m.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
You told me that you met Mr. Sauvé at the hotel and talked to him about fundraising. Now you're telling me about a dinner...
9:15 a.m.
Gilles Prud'homme
No, I didn't talk about fundraising.
9:15 a.m.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
That is what you just said. You just said that you met Mr. Sauvé at the Da Emma restaurant and you talked about fundraising.
9:15 a.m.
Gilles Prud'homme
No, what I said is that at the event at the Casa Italia on November 15, it was Mr. Sauvé who came to meet me and knew that I was the president of the Conservative association. He told me he was interested in working with us because he was a Conservative Party sympathizer. That was when we set a date to meet in December. It wasn't the appropriate place for a long discussion, given that we were both with people for the evening.
So we met at Da Emma in December to talk. He told me he was interested in participating in the event and selling some tickets. Mr. Padulo, at whose place the activity was being held, also said he would sell some tickets. That is how it was done.