Evidence of meeting #66 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 rcmp.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:45 p.m.
Bloc
Jean-Yves Laforest Bloc Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC
Mr. Chairman, I will give my consent only after I've moved my motion.
5:45 p.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
We'll keep going until.... We have time. It all just adds to the ambiance.
5:45 p.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Brian Fitzpatrick
That's provided we have some time to deal with Mr. Laforest's motion. Maybe we can deal with his motion right now and then come back to questioning.
Could you read your motion, Mr. Laforest?
5:45 p.m.
Bloc
Jean-Yves Laforest Bloc Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC
Mr. Chairman, I would like to advise committee members that I intend to table a motion which we will deal with tomorrow, during committee business, since we will be having another meeting.
I will read it, but it has not yet been translated. The motion reads as follows:
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), that the Committee review the June 12, 2007 report of the Auditor General of Canada, and that it undertake a study on the issues raised by inviting the Auditor General of Canada, Sheila Fraser, and the former Lieutenant-Governor of Quebec, Lise Thibault.
Thus, we can discuss this motion tomorrow during committee business.
5:45 p.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Brian Fitzpatrick
Do we have unanimous consent on this motion? It's a notice of motion.
5:45 p.m.
Bloc
5:45 p.m.
Voices
Yes.
5:45 p.m.
Bloc
Jean-Yves Laforest Bloc Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC
Mr. Chairman, I believe there is unanimity. Everyone agrees.
5:45 p.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Brian Fitzpatrick
We'll discuss it tomorrow, then. Is there agreement...?
5:45 p.m.
Bloc
Jean-Yves Laforest Bloc Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC
Oh! There was unanimity to discuss the motion. I thought that everyone supported the motion.
5:45 p.m.
Conservative
Brian Fitzpatrick Conservative Prince Albert, SK
Okay; it's on the agenda tomorrow.
Now we have to start over on the list here; Mr. Poilievre is next.
5:45 p.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
My question is for the representatives of Great-West Life. Why was it you insisted on having Morneau Sobeco as your subcontractor?
5:45 p.m.
(Retired), Great-West Life Assurance Company
We were directed by the RCMP to use Morneau Sobeco.
5:45 p.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
Do you consider it customary to have other outside entities tell you to whom you contract as a company?
5:45 p.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
It wouldn't be normal, but you allowed it to go ahead regardless. You allowed another entity to tell you to whom you were going to contract.
5:45 p.m.
(Retired), Great-West Life Assurance Company
The RCMP was going to pay for the services, so there was no cost to Great-West Life.
5:45 p.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
Didn't you find it strange that you were being asked to provide no service whatsoever, except to be used as a pipeline for money?
5:45 p.m.
Conservative
5:45 p.m.
(Retired), Great-West Life Assurance Company
I'm not sure exactly who it was at the RCMP or whether it was Pat Casey who provided us with that direction.
5:45 p.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
Pat Casey might have provided that direction. That's very unusual, given that he wasn't with the RCMP.
5:45 p.m.
(Retired), Great-West Life Assurance Company
He was who we were working with on the insurance outsourcing.
5:45 p.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
Wait a sec, here. He was working on the estimate side and preparing the business case. Pat Casey wasn't supposed to be involved in determining who got contracts.
5:45 p.m.
(Retired), Great-West Life Assurance Company
You were just asking me who we got the communication from, and I said I'm not sure.