Official Languages Committee on May 18th, 2017

[Madeleine Meilleur]

No, no, I'm not going to comment—

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

You said you went through a process.

[Madeleine Meilleur]

I'm not going to comment about this part. I'm just saying—

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

But you're using the process to justify taking on the job. I'm saying if you're doing that, then you're also saying the process is legitimate. We're saying we have a problem with the process, because the Liberal Party didn't follow the appropriate process. Again, how do I square a decision you make in the future and not think it's a partisan decision?

[Madeleine Meilleur]

Listen, I cannot say more than what I've just said, that it will be by my comportement. Of course, there are the employees at the commission. There are 160 or more employees. I know that at the end of the day, the buck stops here. I recognize that.

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

So if you—

[Madeleine Meilleur]

But I will always do that with the respect and the integrity and the independence that the position requires.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Randy.

I will now give the floor to Mr. Mulcair for six minutes.

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Madam Meilleur, if another investigation opens up around the Prime Minister, will you recuse yourself because of the fact that you donated to his leadership campaign?

[Madeleine Meilleur]

I don't even know if the commissioner can recuse himself or herself. I will get advice. I think it's a unique situation. If the situation occurs, I will look for advice.

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

Well, you know—

[Madeleine Meilleur]

But my position as a commissioner is independent and neutral.

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

Well, you see, that's the whole point, isn't it? If you contributed to the campaign to elect Justin Trudeau Prime Minister, you contributed to the campaign to elect Justin Trudeau leader of the Liberal Party, and you are yourself a lifelong Liberal. That's the very problem, you see?

You talk about it being an independent decision, but how can a decision be independent with someone whom you were cheerleading for, somebody whom you wanted to be in that job? Can you have the independence necessary to judge him and his government? That's the job.

That's why it's called a commissioner. It's not the director general of an agency; it's not a deputy minister. It's a commissioner, an officer of Parliament, someone above the fray. That's why this can't work. Do you understand our position?

[Madeleine Meilleur]

I understand your position, but I'll say that I'm confident that I can fill the role of Commissioner of Official Languages with all the integrity and the independence the position requires.

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

That's a nice formula, and no one is questioning your personal integrity. I want to be very clear on that, but what I'm also saying is that the facts are against a credible argument that you can do this independently.

Earlier, you spoke of the moment when you learned that the position was open.

I would like to know who told you that the position was open.

[Madeleine Meilleur]

It was the commissioner.

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

Graham Fraser?

[Madeleine Meilleur]

Yes.

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

He phoned you to tell you that his position was open?

[Madeleine Meilleur]

No, he did not phone me. When he found out I had resigned, he told me his position was open.

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

In what context did he tell you that, Ms. Meilleur?

[Madeleine Meilleur]

In the street.

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

Graham Fraser told you in the street that his position was open?

[Madeleine Meilleur]

He also told me at the same time that others were interested. Later, when the position was advertised, I think...

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

Fine.