Who would?
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.
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
This is a matter for the elections commissioner, who, because of the Canada Elections Act, was not part of Elections Canada at the time of this investigation.
That's just a quick point. Carry on.
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
The Commissioner of Canada Elections has this information.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Do you support his appearance to answer these questions before this committee?
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
It's neither for me to support or to oppose his appearance.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
You might want to claim that, but you asked to have control over the commissioner, you now hire the commissioner, you fire the commissioner and you decide how much the commissioner gets paid—that was something you asked for in the legislation. Now you seem no longer to want to have the responsibility that comes with that power. Which is it?
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
For the record, the reunification of the commissioner with Elections Canada was not something that was recommended by Elections Canada.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
The original separation was vigorously fought by Elections Canada when you were at the highest level. You also endorsed the bill that reunified them. You asked, then, for the power, but you don't seem to want to have the responsibility.
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
The unification is an administrative one. The Chief Electoral Officer, under the regime as it is designed under Bill C-76, is at arm's length from any investigation conducted by the commissioner.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
The office is now reunified, and you are now responsible for it; section 509 of the current statute makes it so. That is the hard reality.
Can you understand why Canadians would become cynical about the fair and even-handed enforcement of election law in this country, when well-connected Liberal insiders can engage in a four-year-long conspiracy involving 18 company officials to funnel illegal money using false and fictitious documentation and not face a single day in court? Can you understand why someone might get a little bit suspicious about whether the law is being evenly enforced on elections?
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
Mr. Chair, as I've said, I do not have the information that allows me to have a sense of that particular file and the reasons that supported the decision of the commissioner. I'm not aware of the discussions that took place with the commissioner or with the DPP, if there were any discussions with the DPP. This is outside of the scope of my activities.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
You said in your opening remarks that it was within your scope, because you pointed out that the reunification affected the budgetary matters of your agency. You have acknowledged the reunification; my friend across the way has celebrated it. All of a sudden it has become very inconvenient for you to have the two offices reunified in one, because while you want the power, you don't want the responsibility.
It sounds to me as though what we need here is the commissioner to come to explain his actions, if you won't explain them for him.
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
That's something for the committee to decide. It's certainly not for me to decide.
Under the new arrangements, the only thing I would add is that we are responsible—I am responsible—for the administrative support of the commissioner, but not for the specific investigations he may choose to pursue or not pursue, and if he pursues them, the measures that he undertakes pursuant to the—
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
So, are you committing that no one in your office or under your employment will ever speak to the commissioner about investigations?
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
We certainly will not be involved in any decision regarding the conduct of an investigation—
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
The commissioner is empowered to ask my view or the views of others—
Conservative
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
I think that's an abstract question. I don't have the answer—
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Well, it's not abstract. There are investigations that could happen, and you would be able to advise on them. Do you, ever?
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
If the commissioner has a question regarding, for example, the importance to the regime of a particular provision, I think that's a fair question.
Conservative
