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.
9:40 a.m.
As an Individual
I don't know anyone in Transports Québec either. I'm not involved in those industries.
9:40 a.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
--in the last two weeks, you've single-handedly brought down the chairman of the anti-corruption and anti-collusion commission, Jacques Duchesneau.
9:40 a.m.
Gilles Prud'homme
With respect to Mr. Duschesneau, I said nothing that related to construction.
I reported an election activity that took place in 1988 and had no connection with the construction industry. In the course of that activity, several people signed guarantees. I was one of them. Afterward, it appeared in the financial report as a loan.
I met with the Chief Electoral Officer.
9:40 a.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
A lot of people feel that just as Mr. Duchesneau was getting close to unearthing the corruption in the industry in Quebec, you brought him down so that he wouldn't get any closer. He's had to resign his seat because you came in just at the right time to shield and protect the way the industry is corrupt.
9:40 a.m.
Gilles Prud'homme
I didn't come in at the right time. I simply answered questions from Paul Larocque, the TVA journalist. As far as the timing, I answered...
9:40 a.m.
Gilles Prud'homme
Maybe, but I answered at the request of my brother, who is a chartered accountant...
9:40 a.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Why would you report election irregularities that are 10 years old when you didn't even report your election fundraising when you're the president of the riding association in the last year? Why did your riding association get deregistered by Elections Canada when you were the president?
9:40 a.m.
Gilles Prud'homme
Because I didn't fill out the president's report.
9:40 a.m.
Gilles Prud'homme
The financial officer replied to the financial report that was audited. It is in there, in fact. That is why you have the list of contributions at the cocktail party. I didn't reply to the president's report. I could have sent another note, but I left that to other people. So the party could have used someone else. That's all.
9:40 a.m.
Gilles Prud'homme
I have checked with Elections Canada. It's the president's report that shows the date, the people's addresses and who the members are. The financial report is there, and the financial report for the 10 months up to October 31 will be filed.
9:40 a.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
You've answered that question.
What was the total amount of kickbacks from the fundraising cocktail party? The total amount of kickbacks from all of the grateful contractors that you gathered there that night? How much did they kick back in total? Not just the $1,000 to the riding association--the total kickbacks.
9:40 a.m.
Gilles Prud'homme
Other than the contributions that appear in the report, there is nothing. Some people want to make up a story where there isn't one.
9:40 a.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Now, on the irregularities in 1998 that have led to the resignation of the former chief of police, who was getting close to exposing the whole of the corruption in Quebec, the loans.... You say it was you and another woman. Is that correct? Madame Arminda Mota?
9:45 a.m.
As an Individual
I think 12, other than me,
including Ms. Mota, who did her interviews and her business. That's all. I have not met Ms. Mota since 1998. I should point out that she was a candidate with Jacques Duchesneau. Since that time, I have never met her.
9:45 a.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Why would he defraud the system by putting your name on a cheque that you claim you had nothing to do with? Would he just pull your name out of the phone book? Did you have nothing to do with the construction industry or that kind of fraud in the past? What a coincidence.
9:45 a.m.
Gilles Prud'homme
I have no comment on that subject. Jacques Duchesneau can defend himself. In fact, he will be doing that.
I am saying what happened because I was asked questions. The journalists were going to see. My brother, sho is a landlord, told me that the tenant did not like seeing the journalists coming. He told me I had not lived at 10,185 since the beginning of the year and so I had to answer the questions. That's what I did.
As well, when I answered the questions, I saw there was another woman whose address had been included, Ms. Montpetit. That's all. Myself, I answered Mr. Larocque's questions, full stop.
9:45 a.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
You have to sympathize with our committee. We've had a very sick picture painted for us, you know, and we represent the Canadian taxpayer. We're trying to defend the Canadian taxpayer's purse.
In the last few weeks as we've been investigating this particular scandal, the renovations of our Parliament Buildings, we've unearthed this unsavoury underworld of politics, construction, and corruption, all meeting up, and your name is right in the middle of it, right at the heart of it. That little cabal of Conservative organizers in Montreal seemed to be the genesis of a lot of corruption that has cost the Canadian taxpayers a lot of money.
9:45 a.m.
Conservative
Dick Harris Conservative Cariboo—Prince George, BC
Mr. Chair, I'm new to this committee. I need a little clarification. Some of the language that Mr. Martin is using is as if it is fact, when he talks about kickbacks, corruption, the underworld...I'd like clarification, so I can understand this. Has any of this been proven or are these just suggestions that Mr. Martin is making?
Because you know, outside of committee, if these are just suggestions or allegations--
