Evidence of meeting #19 for Public Accounts in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was bonaventure.
A recording is available from Parliament.
11:25 a.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
And on what date did he first make an expression of interest in that property?
11:25 a.m.
As an Individual
That would be the first time I met him, and I don't have that date. I would have to check my agenda back in 2004, if that information is available. Within the spring of 2004.... The timing of the sale would be between spring and August 2004.
11:25 a.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
So you say the transaction was completed roughly when?
11:25 a.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
So they only first approached you in the spring to express an interest in the property.
11:25 a.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
And not at any time prior to that did any member of Jolina Capital or the Saputo family discuss this property with you.
11:30 a.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
My next question concerns the fact that in the tendering process for office space for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, Magil Laurentian bid almost 50% higher per metre than the next-highest bidder and 82% more than the winner.
Were you given any communication that would indicate Magil Laurentian did not need to provide a competitive bid?
11:30 a.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
Ms. Cochrane, did you attend meetings with Jean-Marc Bard, as described in Suzanne Cloutier's e-mail of June 8, 2001, asking that the public tendering process for office space for the Canadian Economic Development Agency be put on hold?
11:30 a.m.
Conservative
11:30 a.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
Okay, well, we'll have to....
Were you aware of this meeting?
11:30 a.m.
As an Individual
I was not aware of that particular meeting, but the practice at the time in the department was that senior officials would meet periodically with the minister's staff to provide information on ongoing transactions. I did not attend those meetings. I attended meetings with the minister, not with the minister's staff.
11:30 a.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
Are you aware of the reasons for Jean-Marc Bard's request that the tendering process be put on hold?
11:30 a.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
In your note to Minister Gagliano dated July 31, 2001, you stated:
We have nothing to justify submitting to you a request for approval to negotiate directly with the owner of 800 Place Victoria.
This begs the question. Did the minister or anyone in his office ask that you enter into direct negotiations with the owner of 800 Place Victoria?
11:30 a.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
According to testimony given by Tim McGrath on July 31, 2007, all the transactions in the Montreal area involving space of more than 500 metres were to be reported to Minister Gagliano. What was the threshold for the rest of Canada?
11:30 a.m.
As an Individual
I believe it was 2,000 square metres, Mr. Chair, but I can't be absolutely certain.
11:30 a.m.
Conservative
11:30 a.m.
As an Individual
Most likely because that was the area for which the minister was responsible and therefore the area in which you would expect he might get questions from people, but I cannot tell you what was behind it.
11:30 a.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
Keeping in mind his responsibilities were national.
ADM Carol Beal previously testified, when asked about the involvement of the minister's office, “I believe we did have a fair amount of interaction with respect to a number of leases. ” Do you agree with her statement?