As I was saying, I worked at the minister's regional office located in Old Montreal.
My first reason for accepting the position was to advance the files that would enable the greater Montreal area to accelerate its development in the interests of all its citizens.
I am very proud to have contributed to the execution of a number of important files such as the transfer of surplus federal lands to the Canada Lands Company for the development of Montreal's New Harbourfront, construction of the Quartier des spectacles, the expansion of the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal, and the announcement of the new Planétarium de Montréal.
Previously, before joining Minister Fortier's office, I had worked in commercial real estate for 18 years as a real estate broker and real property and real property portfolio manager. I also worked for the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada, which has been the Conservative Party of Canada since 1980.
With the appointment of Michael Fortier as Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada and Minister responsible for Greater Montreal, the new Conservative government clearly showed that it wanted to establish a direct channel of communication so that the voices of the constituents of greater Montreal, like those of all the other large Canadian cities, could be heard at the highest level of the federal government.
To respond to that clearly expressed wish of the new government, our work, like that of every representative of an MP or minister, was thus to respond to the many calls from individuals, organizations and groups active in all the areas of activity in order to help, support and orient them in their efforts to deal with the federal government.
In a public place, I met Mr. Paul Sauvé, president of a Montreal firm specializing in masonry, a firm I knew by name as a result of my longstanding activities in commercial real estate.
During that interview, Mr. Sauvé told me about the trouble he appeared to be having breaking into the federal government market in Ottawa, whereas the volume of work in his area of expertise, masonry, was significant, with the renovations scheduled for the buildings on Parliament Hill.
As that matter fell under the jurisdiction of the Department of Public Works and Government Services, it was not my responsibility. I conducted no further follow-up on this matter. That constituted my entire involvement in this file.
Thank you for your attention.