Human Resources Committee on May 6th, 2024

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

And Xennex...?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Xennex is the other company I own that is also dormant and that is also wrapped up and fully disclosed.

Let me be really clear: Part of the reason it indicates that funds are owed to my company—

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Minister, the question was how much.

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Michael—

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

This is a really long story to just tell me how much.

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

No, it's not.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

How much?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

The United Nations Development Programme still owes the company funds. That's two and a half years later. That is why you see the declaration.

If you want to understand how much money I made as a private citizen, then you can refer to—

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

I want to understand how much you're getting paid by this company while you're a minister.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Mr. Barrett, if you're going to ask him a question, which is not relevant to what the committee is meeting for today.... This committee met at length to set its agenda for today. You're appearing as a committee member today, and you do have the right to direct questions in relevancy. If you're going to continue, I will then ensure that the minister has a chance to respond, should he choose.

Mr. Minister.

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

I answered that question before, Mr. Barrett.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

It's really unbelievable, because you haven't answered the question. The answer you gave was a complete non sequitur to the question that was asked.

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Mr. Barrett, that's not true. These—

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

You have a duty to arrange your private affairs in a manner that prevents a conflict of interest, but in this case, you arranged your private affairs in the matter of a $110-million federal grant to a federally regulated organization, with federal government representatives on its board—

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

There is no—

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

—to which they benefited—

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Mr. Chair.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

—monetarily.

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

That is not true whatsoever.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Mr. Barrett, I'm going to give the minister a chance to respond to a question that is not relevant.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

I haven't finished asking the question.

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

I can't answer a question that's full of falsehoods.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

I asked the minister to—

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

He interrupted me throughout the question.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

You're questioning in an area where the rules the House adopted are really black and white.

Mr. Barrett, we're here—