Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Prud'Homme, thank you again for coming.
I think it's important that I follow up on Mr. Martin's questioning. Number one, I don't think there's anybody at this table who would fault you for taking time off from your work to care for your ailing mother. I think anybody around this table who had the means to do so would undertake anything to care for one's own ailing parent. We appreciate that and I hope nobody around this table would castigate you or undermine the contribution that you made to your own family. I certainly hope I can speak on behalf of all members at this table when I say that we appreciate the sacrifice you made, and I'm certain that your family is thankful for it.
Today your testimony is another testimony consistent with everything we've heard throughout this hearing: that there was no inappropriate political intervention as a result of any fundraising efforts in Montreal or any other place. You bring us additional testimony that's consistent with that.
The one exception is Mr. Sauvé. He was all over the map. In parts of his testimony, he was stating that he had hired Mr. Varin to get him a contract. Later on, when Mr. Coderre was questioning him, Mr. Sauvé said: “The fact is that, despite his huge networks, Mr. Varin doesn't deliver. We had major problems at Montreal City Hall. His contacts just are not enough. The same thing applies to Parliament Hill. If you ask me, it's a phony organization”.
He was referring to Mr. Varin's business, I guess.
Mr. Sauvé has contradicted himself. The facts have contradicted Mr. Sauvé's testimony and then again, your testimony, as well as that of many other people, has contradicted what we heard from him. We appreciate that, and I just want you to confirm again for this committee that no inappropriate political intervention was promised as a result of people attending the fundraiser that you organized.