Yes, I have. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I was appointed the Correctional Investigator of Canada by the Governor in Council in November 1977 and held that position until I retired in October 2003. I was reappointed three times. The Correctional Investigator's office does very important work, and I was proud to lead that office for over 25 years. I tried to do the job to the best of my ability.
I am 72 years old and my memory is not good. On April 13, 2006, before I was questioned by the Auditor General's investigator and lawyer, my lawyer, David W. Scott, spoke to the present Correctional Investigator, Howard Sapers. Mr. Sapers told Mr. Scott that he and the executive director had been instructed by the Auditor General's investigators that no one at the office was to speak to anyone about the audit or the things under investigation. As a result, I could not speak to anyone in the office about these matters.
Even after I received a copy of the Auditor General's draft report, none of the people in my office would speak to me or my lawyer. Although I was given copies of some documents, my lawyer and I were not allowed access to many important documents from the office to refresh my memory before I was questioned.
Although I had kept a lot of documents at my home, which would have helped me to remember some of the things I was asked about, my wife and I destroyed them long after I retired. My lawyer has asked the Correctional Investigator's office and the Auditor General's office to provide him and an accountant I have retained with relevant documents to allow them to determine the true facts. None has yet been provided.
The result is that I do not have an adequate memory or the ability to respond completely today to many of the accusations brought against me, but I intend to have my lawyer and my accountant review all of those documents.
I want to tell this committee and the people of Canada that if I have received money or benefits that I should not have received, I intend to pay them back to the best of my ability. I promise you I will do that.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.