Evidence of meeting #64 for Public Accounts in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was pelletier.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Shawn Murphy
Okay, Mr. Pelletier. I want, on behalf of the committee, to thank you for your attendance here today. I will say that I disagree with your comment about being surprised that the committee is involved. That is our job. Anyway, we'll leave it at that. Again, I want to thank you.
The committee will now adjourn for two minutes and we will go to part two of this hearing.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Shawn Murphy
We are now going to start phase two of the meeting and we're going to follow the exact same procedure as in the first hour. That is, we're going to invite from Mr. Guité an opening comment and then we're going to follow the same procedure. It's going to be the Liberals for seven minutes, or fourteen minutes, if they so choose; the Bloc Québécois; the Progressive Conservative Party, again for seven minutes, or fourteen minutes if they choose; the New Democratic Party.
Conservative
Brian Fitzpatrick Conservative Prince Albert, SK
You mentioned “Progressive Conservatives”, but they don't have any representation. Or maybe they do.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Shawn Murphy
Whatever happened to the Progressive Conservatives?
Before we go any further, I'm going to ask the clerk to swear in the witness.
Charles Guité As an Individual
I, Charles Guité, do swear that the evidence I shall give on this examination shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Shawn Murphy
Thank you very much, Clerk.
At the start of the meeting I read some opening comments. I don't plan to read them again. I think most of the people were here at the time. I think everyone here understands the ground rules. We're talking about the apparent discrepancies only.
We are now going to go to the Liberal Party.
I'll ask you first, did you want to go for fourteen minutes, or seven minutes now?
Liberal
Judy Sgro Liberal York West, ON
It will be me and my colleague, whichever one wants to intervene.
Thank you very much for coming, Mr. Guité.
As an Individual
I don't have an opening statement, but I have two questions. Depending on your answer to number one, I may not have to ask number two.
As most of you in this room are aware, there are some other legal proceedings going on in my case. I would ask that these proceedings today be in camera.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Shawn Murphy
To answer your question, Mr. Guité, no, they are not going to be in camera. That decision was made by the committee. As I believe you may be aware, anything you say today cannot be used in any court of law, and the parliamentary procedure is totally distinct from a court process. That is the answer to your question.
As an Individual
My second question, then, is can you impose a publication ban on the proceedings of today?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Shawn Murphy
To answer that question, this meeting is in public, and I cannot impose any publication ban on any questions or answers.
Conservative
John Williams Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB
Given the tenor of the witness's questions, does he feel inhibited in any way from answering the questions that are going to be put to him?
Conservative
John Williams Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB
I think it's worth asking. Does he feel constrained, or will he be forthcoming and give us fulsome answers by virtue of the fact that this is a public meeting and there's no publication ban?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Shawn Murphy
Mr. Williams, he's under oath. That would be the answer I would give.
I'll allow Mr. Guité to respond.
Conservative
John Williams Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB
My question to the chair was does the witness feel constrained, or will the witness be inhibited in any way from answering questions put by the members, since this meeting is a public meeting and there's no publication ban?