Minister, notwithstanding your opening comments about the importance of Canada's relationship with the United States, your appearance today is exclusively about the egregious abuse of taxpayer money.
Emily Nicholson, the chief of staff to your associate deputy minister of foreign affairs and the author of the infamous memo, was given information that Tom Clark was instrumental throughout the process and gave the green light for the purchase of the Billionaires' Row condo. She testified that she simply inserts information as it is provided to her.
Minister, you acknowledge that she wrote the original memo, circulated on June 17, to your former chief that states Clark was instrumental. Is that correct?