Evidence of meeting #152 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was property.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Robin Dubeau  Acting Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Real Property and Infrastructure Solutions, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Karolina Guay  Former Chief of Staff to the Deputy of Foreign Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Franck Hounzangbé  Director General, Policy and Planning, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

12:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley

Thank you.

We'll go to Mrs. Kusie, then Mr. Sousa.

We'll have abridged, two-and-a-half-minute rounds.

12:50 p.m.

Conservative

Stephanie Kusie Conservative Calgary Midnapore, AB

Thank you.

Monsieur Dubeau, you said there was a collective involved in gathering this information.

Can you share the names of those involved in that collective, please?

12:50 p.m.

Acting Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Real Property and Infrastructure Solutions, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

Robin Dubeau

Do you mean the project team that gathered the information, along with the team in New York?

12:50 p.m.

Conservative

Stephanie Kusie Conservative Calgary Midnapore, AB

Yes. You referred to the collective.

Who was in this collective?

12:55 p.m.

Acting Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Real Property and Infrastructure Solutions, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

Robin Dubeau

I can go back to the department and see what is available.

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

Stephanie Kusie Conservative Calgary Midnapore, AB

Okay. If you could table those names with the committee, it would be appreciated.

Excellent. Thank you.

Would you be able to table the emails that were communicated among the collective related to the purchase of the residence?

12:55 p.m.

Acting Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Real Property and Infrastructure Solutions, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

Robin Dubeau

I will look at what is available and get back to you.

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

Stephanie Kusie Conservative Calgary Midnapore, AB

Thank you.

Who was your contact at the consulate in New York?

12:55 p.m.

Acting Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Real Property and Infrastructure Solutions, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

Robin Dubeau

My main contact in New York would be the head of administration. We called them a management and consular officer. We have a very senior one in New York. That would have been my primary contact on the matter of real properties.

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

Stephanie Kusie Conservative Calgary Midnapore, AB

Who was it at the time you were doing the research? Was it one continuous head of administration during that time, or was there more than one during that process?

12:55 p.m.

Acting Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Real Property and Infrastructure Solutions, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

Robin Dubeau

There was more than one.

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

Stephanie Kusie Conservative Calgary Midnapore, AB

Could you provide the names of who they were to the committee, please?

12:55 p.m.

Acting Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Real Property and Infrastructure Solutions, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

Robin Dubeau

Yes. Do you want me to come back to the committee with those in writing, or would you like me to—

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

Stephanie Kusie Conservative Calgary Midnapore, AB

If you're aware of the names now, that would be helpful.

12:55 p.m.

Acting Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Real Property and Infrastructure Solutions, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

Robin Dubeau

Okay.

Mr. Chair, the first management consular officer with whom I interacted was Mario Bot, and the current one is Christopher Veenstra.

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

Stephanie Kusie Conservative Calgary Midnapore, AB

Thank you very much.

Would you be able to table your communications with these heads of administration as well, please?

12:55 p.m.

Acting Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Real Property and Infrastructure Solutions, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

Robin Dubeau

I can go back and look at what I have and share that.

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

Stephanie Kusie Conservative Calgary Midnapore, AB

Excellent. Thank you very much.

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley

Mr. Sousa, please go ahead.

Charles Sousa Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON

Thank you.

Thank you for being here.

Did Tom Clark approve the decision to sell the old residence?

12:55 p.m.

Acting Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Real Property and Infrastructure Solutions, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

Robin Dubeau

No, he did not.

Charles Sousa Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON

Did Tom Clark approve the decision to purchase the new residence?

12:55 p.m.

Acting Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Real Property and Infrastructure Solutions, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

Robin Dubeau

No, he did not.

Charles Sousa Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON

Did Tom Clark have any influence, in any way, on any of the decisions?

November 7th, 2024 / 12:55 p.m.

Acting Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Real Property and Infrastructure Solutions, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

Robin Dubeau

No, he did not.