Evidence of meeting #28 for Industry, Science and Technology in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was employees.
A recording is available from Parliament.
3:25 p.m.
Liberal
Nathaniel Erskine-Smith Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
On June 9, you speak to Mr. La Flèche. What's the nature of that conversation? He asks you if you have agreed to end pandemic pay. What do you say?
3:25 p.m.
President, Loblaw Companies Limited
I said we hadn't decided what we were going to do.
3:25 p.m.
Liberal
Nathaniel Erskine-Smith Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
Okay, but this is despite the fact that you had, in fact, decided.
3:25 p.m.
President, Loblaw Companies Limited
We were still in communications with our union at that time.
3:25 p.m.
Liberal
Nathaniel Erskine-Smith Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
Okay, and the decision is then made on June 11 and it's told to your employees.
3:25 p.m.
Liberal
Nathaniel Erskine-Smith Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
Then immediately thereafter, you send an email.
By “public” you mean it was communicated to your employees. Is that right?
3:30 p.m.
Liberal
Nathaniel Erskine-Smith Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
Mr. La Flèche, after repeatedly asking your competitors when they were going to end pandemic pay and upon learning that pandemic pay was going to be ended by Loblaws on June 13, you quickly made a decision in complete agreement with the decision by Loblaws. Is that right?
3:30 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Metro inc.
We made our own decision based on the information we had, which included that last piece of information, yes.
3:30 p.m.
Liberal
Nathaniel Erskine-Smith Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
Mr. Medline, other than the conversation that you had with Mr. La Flèche the week of May 20, did you have any other conversations with competitors?
3:30 p.m.
Liberal
Nathaniel Erskine-Smith Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
Ms. Davis, you had two conversations with Mr. La Flèche in addition to the courtesy email. I appreciate your letting us know about the courtesy email in your opening remarks, although I'm curious that you didn't let us know about these other conversations.
Did you have any other conversations with competitors apart from those two with Mr. La Flèche?
3:30 p.m.
Liberal
Nathaniel Erskine-Smith Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
Was Galen Weston aware that you were having these conversations with your competitors?
3:30 p.m.
President, Loblaw Companies Limited
I think I told him that Eric had called me, yes.
3:30 p.m.
Liberal
Nathaniel Erskine-Smith Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
Did you inform him of the second call as well?
3:30 p.m.
Liberal
Nathaniel Erskine-Smith Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
Did the board know that each of you were communicating at different points with your competitors?
3:30 p.m.
President, Loblaw Companies Limited
I'm not sure if the board was aware or not. I think the board was aware.
3:30 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Metro inc.
No, I don't think so. I may have mentioned it to the board, when we extended to June 13, that we had information that Loblaw was extending also, but again, it was a decision we made as an executive team. It wasn't a board decision.
3:30 p.m.
Liberal
Nathaniel Erskine-Smith Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
Were there any other conversations? We know the conversations between you. You obviously have employees in senior positions. Was there any communication between anyone else at your companies and your competitors?
I'll start with Mr. La Flèche.