Evidence of meeting #152 for Procedure and House Affairs in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was commissioner.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
David Graham Liberal Laurentides—Labelle, QC
Have you been getting the, let's call them “smaller parties” that have never had seats in the House reaching out to you in any great way?
Debates Commissioner, Leaders' Debates Commission
I don't think there are any others than the ones we've contacted. Should they do so, we would be quite prepared to meet with that party.
Liberal
David Graham Liberal Laurentides—Labelle, QC
You said you have a request for proposals. What kind of reception are you getting from media organizations? Are they excited?
Debates Commissioner, Leaders' Debates Commission
The party organizations?
Liberal
Debates Commissioner, Leaders' Debates Commission
I would say in general that they are quite positive and quite interested. Much of it has been asking us to explain more about our mandate and what we're doing. The kind of question that Mr. Scarpaleggia just asked is frequently on their minds, and how they interact with us, etc. There's enthusiasm and ambition, I think. I've been generally very pleased, if I can give that general comment, and we've learned a lot through the process, I must say, and are continuing, because those consultations will continue.
Liberal
Debates Commissioner, Leaders' Debates Commission
We have given some indication in the request for proposals as to what we think would be the largely appropriate time without insisting that it is the time. It's roughly two to three weeks before the actual debates. We will ask for a specific answer on that from the consortium bidders.
We won't necessarily accept that as written in stone but probably accept their best judgment, knowing that it will be informed by discussions with the parties. I think probably we'll have an override to try to be satisfied that whatever dates are chosen are appropriate. That's perhaps as far as I can go.
Liberal
David Graham Liberal Laurentides—Labelle, QC
So there's no intent to announce the dates of the debates now? It would be way too early to do that.
Debates Commissioner, Leaders' Debates Commission
If there's a chance of what?
Liberal
David Graham Liberal Laurentides—Labelle, QC
There would be no intention of announcing the debate from now, as opposed to waiting until the election is called.
Debates Commissioner, Leaders' Debates Commission
That's an interesting question of timing. I think we would like it as early as possible. That doesn't necessarily work in terms of parties' organizing their schedules and their appropriate activities.
What we will do though, in the discussions with the winning consortium, is try to pin that question down at least as early as possible so that everybody is on notice that it's happening. We will then, ourselves, undertake a kind of awareness campaign to try to ensure Canadians know when that is going to happen, and we can develop a bit of a buildup to it.
Liberal
David Graham Liberal Laurentides—Labelle, QC
I have only a couple of seconds left. I have a slightly less important question to ask you. Was there any meaning to the binary sequence on your coat of arms?
Debates Commissioner, Leaders' Debates Commission
Is there what on the coat of arms?
Liberal
David Graham Liberal Laurentides—Labelle, QC
On your coat of arms, as governor general, you had a binary sequence. Was there a specific meaning to those numbers?
Debates Commissioner, Leaders' Debates Commission
You know, I'd love to give a The Da Vinci Code answer that we planted something in there. Some have suggested it. I'm very interested in information technology. I chaired the information highway advisory, two councils, some years ago as it was coming. The suggestion is that there's something there in code; you have to look pretty hard to find it. I think it was put in because of, perhaps, my interest in the digital revolution and the new way of handling communication.
Debates Commissioner, Leaders' Debates Commission
Please notice that there were five books on that coat of arms, as well. That's for my five daughters. As Grandpa Book, I believe a lot in learning.
Conservative
Stephanie Kusie Conservative Calgary Midnapore, AB
Thank you, Chair.
Mr. Johnston, this is very hard for me to ask, one, because I like you; two, because you were previously appointed by a man I respect very much; and three, because I don't have five bucks.
I'm looking at the process by which you were selected. It was not an open application; you were selected by the Liberal government. I am listening to how the advisory board was selected. It was selected by you, appointed by the Liberal government, not through an open application process. I would also have to assume, then, that the secretariat was appointed either by you, appointed by the Liberal government, or by the Liberal government as well through a process. Either way, you were put in place by the Liberal government.
You keep referring to your mandate: our mandate tells us to do this; our mandate drives us to do this. Who gave you your mandate, Mr. Johnston?
Debates Commissioner, Leaders' Debates Commission
It came by an order in council.
Conservative
Stephanie Kusie Conservative Calgary Midnapore, AB
Ultimately, it was the Liberal government.
How can we possibly trust in this being an independent body and organization, and in the independence of these debates, when I have referred to two processes and a mandate that were directed by the Liberal government? We can talk around it, but these are the actions, the sequence of events that occurred, which brought us to these smaller details we are discussing today, such as the producer, etc. All of these things flow from the Liberal government. It's very hard, from where I sit here on the official opposition, to truly see this as independent.
Given all of that, do you believe you'll have enough time and resources necessary to accomplish all that was set out in your mandate, please?
Debates Commissioner, Leaders' Debates Commission
To answer the last question, which is the easiest, we'll certainly do our best and will undertake to fulfill the mandate as well as possible.
With respect to your first question, I can't answer it, and you know that I can't. However, with respect to my independence, for me that's a question of integrity. I would ask you to look at a lifetime and make your own judgment.
Conservative
Stephanie Kusie Conservative Calgary Midnapore, AB
I can look at a lifetime and I can certainly make a judgment. I've said before I have nothing but respect for you and the individual who did your previous appointment. I am not questioning you; I am questioning the process that was used to place you there by the Liberal government, Mr. Johnston. There is no disrespect for you. I'm questioning the process of the Liberal government.
Thank you.
