Government Operations Committee on Dec. 9th, 2010

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

No, that's not what he said.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

He said he knew you.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Okay. We're not having witnesses on this side of the table. The witness is down there.

Mr. Coderre, you have one minute and forty-five seconds.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Mr. Côté, I increasingly think that we're going to have to invite you back because there are a lot of questions. I have one to start with.

Earlier you said that there were a number of friends. You spoke with former Minister Fortier's spin doctor, Mr. Gagnon. Who else did you speak with in preparing for this meeting? You said there were a number of friends; those were your words.

[Bernard Côté]

Mr. Pichet.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Who?

[Bernard Côté]

Hubert Pichet.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Oh, you spoke to Hubert Pichet, who still works for Pierre-Claude Nolin.

[Bernard Côté]

Who works for Senator Nolin, yes.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

What did he tell you, Mr. Pichet?

[Bernard Côté]

He told me to... I asked him—

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

To be careful not to say too much?

[Bernard Côté]

No, I asked him what the committee procedure was. I don't know the committee's operating rules.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

If you spoke to Mr. Gagnon, who is director of communications, and who has come here on a number of occasions... Minister Fortier has always agreed to come and meet the committees; he knows how it works. Why did you need to speak to Hubert Pichet, when we know that, like you, he's a friend of Gilles Varin and that he went to eat at the Mas des Oliviers, the place where you don't remember how the party was organized.

[Bernard Côté]

Mr. Pichet has also been one of my personal friends for 30 years.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Did he tell you to be careful? Did he use the words "be careful"?

[Bernard Côté]

I would say that, when summoned to testify in an environment such as this, everyone will tell you "be careful".

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

To be careful what you say?

[Bernard Côté]

Yes. That doesn't mean to lie.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

I didn't say that. Why are you talking about lying? Why are you talking to me about lies?

[Bernard Côté]

I believe that's somewhat what you're insinuating.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Not at all. I can understand your memory lapses, for example.

Is that what it is, Mr. Côté? You were told not to say everything because, in any case, this isn't an investigation and the less you say, the better. That's what you were told to do?

[Bernard Côté]

I was told that we would discuss a topic. I made my opening statement under oath. It concerned that topic, and that's it. I can't make up answers.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

You can give us some, however.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Thank you, Mr. Coderre.

Thank you, Mr. Côté.

Mr. Lemay, you have five minutes.