Evidence of meeting #81 for Procedure and House Affairs in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was intelligence.
A video is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Edmonton, AB
I didn't say that. I said the opposite of that, so don't put words in my mouth, Madam Chair.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bardish Chagger
You do it for a living, so I think it's going to be okay. What's good for the goose is good for the gander.
I am going, just for the record—
Conservative
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
What you said about my fellow member was inappropriate, Madam Chair. You put words in his mouth, things that weren't true.
I would ask you to please retract your comments.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bardish Chagger
I'm sorry; I pushed the button, and I shouldn't have.
What I think we should do as our way forward is allow Mr. Turnbull to ask his questions—
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bardish Chagger
I'm just going to make my comment. As a path forward, we've done this before.
Go ahead on a point of order, Mr. Berthold.
Conservative
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
I raised the point of order because I reject the remarks you made about my fellow member. What you said he said was not true. You put words in his mouth. You made an assumption about what he was thinking. You characterized his work. It's inappropriate for a committee chair to do that.
Please retract your comments.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bardish Chagger
If it makes you feel better, Mr. Berthold, sure, but I'm just saying that, when it comes to putting words in the member's mouth, it's happened before.
I asked if Mr. Cooper had any more questions, because then what I could suggest is that, if he doesn't, I would go to Mr. Turnbull and then give him back the floor to continue with his motion, as we have done in the past.
I think we would be able to get agreement from the Bloc and the NDP to finish this, release the witnesses, and then give Mr. Cooper back the floor to finish this. I feel this is a plausible way forward.
Is that a plausible way forward?
Conservative
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
Madam Chair, I just want to be sure. To help you do that, I am requesting unanimous consent to proceed as you suggested.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bardish Chagger
That's an excellent idea.
Are we okay with giving the floor to Mr. Turnbull for his five-minute round, trying to keep it shorter, and then we'd give it back to Mr. Cooper?
Conservative
Conservative
Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB
Madam Chair, I don't believe we can make up the rules as we go along. A motion has been moved. Nobody has indicated that the motion is not in order, and I suggest, if you seek advice from the clerk, that the clerk will advise you that the business of the committee is now the motion.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bardish Chagger
Ms. Blaney, I'm assuming your hand is still up to be on the speaking list for the motion.
Is there not agreement to allow Mr. Turnbull to have his time with the witnesses?
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bardish Chagger
There is not agreement to give you the floor, Mr. Turnbull.
Is there agreement to release the witnesses?
Conservative
Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Edmonton, AB
Yes.
If Mr. Turnbull wants to keep them here, that's his prerogative.
Liberal
Liberal
Ryan Turnbull Liberal Whitby, ON
I'm not okay, Madam Chair. I would like to have my spot to ask a question, but if that's the will of the committee....
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bardish Chagger
With that, I would like to thank you for your time and attention today.
We wish you the best and thank you for your service. If there's anything else you'd like to add, please send it to the clerk and we'll have it translated into both official languages.
Mr. Cooper, the floor is yours.
Conservative
Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Edmonton, AB
Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
From the moment the Prime Minister's so-called special rapporteur was appointed, there have been serious questions about conflict of interest around Mr. Johnston, given the fact that he was a long-standing friend of the Prime Minister's father, the fact that he has had a relationship with the Prime Minister for decades and the fact that he, up until his appointment as so-called special rapporteur, was a member of the Beijing-financed and Beijing-compromised Trudeau Foundation.
Since Mr. Johnston's appointment, new conflicts have emerged. It turns out that not only is he a friend of the Prime Minister and was a member of the Trudeau Foundation—which, on both counts, disqualify him from being appointed to such a role to investigate Beijing's interference on matters that implicate the Prime Minister over what he did or failed to do to respond to Beijing's interference, where part of Beijing's strategy, of course, was to benefit the Liberal Party—but it has now been revealed that Mr. Johnston selected as the lead counsel for his supposedly independent investigation none other than Sheila Block. She is a major Liberal donor who has, over the last several years, donated nearly $7,000 to the Liberal Party of Canada and who was rubbing shoulders with the Prime Minister and the Minister of National Defence, at least virtually, at a recent Liberal Party fundraiser.
He hired another Liberal, Valérie Gervais, who is a former ministerial staffer, as a communications adviser. We now learn that he's taking advice from Don Guy, who is another Liberal and former chief of staff to Dalton McGuinty, as well as Brian Topp, who was a chief of staff to an NDP government.
In light of that, what we have are conflicts everywhere around this so-called special rapporteur. On that basis, it's appropriate that these witnesses come to answer questions before this committee.
I'm not sure where the chair is, but thank you, Madam Chair.
