Evidence of meeting #20 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 space.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
Did you or anyone in your office ever communicate to the department a preference to terminate the open competition?
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
But you're aware, as you just indicated seconds ago, that Mr. Bard did just that--and he was on your staff.
As an Individual
If you go through the minutes, Mr. Arès, I think, said very clearly before you that it didn't stop. He asked the officials to continue doing their analysis until he could get some answers to the question I was asking. So I--
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
No, that's actually not true. He did not ask for information to get the process going. He actually did the exact opposite, according to the documentation we have. He stopped the tendering process and stopped the public servants from going forward with the process.
As an Individual
I think the word in the documents is “halt”. But again, this is an interpretation of the mail the officials were exchanging.
But let me remind you that the tendering process had not started. These were discussions that the client department had with Public Works, and they were preparing the documents for the tendering process.
Also, if you look at the e-mails--
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
Excuse me, you're running down the clock here, and it's just not true.
I have an e-mail from Suzanne Cloutier, who says, in an e-mail to other public servants:
For your information, here are the results of the meeting with JM Bard about the following files: Canada Economic Development: File on hold....
Keep the Minister's office informed of any new developments.
So Ms. Cloutier, after coming out of a meeting with your chief of staff, concluded, “file on hold”. She didn't indicate here that he was seeking more information about the process.
So I think we should zero in on the truth here, because what you're telling us is not the truth.
As an Individual
Well, if you want to know the full truth, as you say when using the word “truth,” look at the memo of July 19, 2001, from Suzanne Cloutier to Francine Langelier, with a copy to Lise Lefort, which says:
See the update requested for the next meeting with JMB.
CANADA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:
Check with CED officials to see whether they are satisfied with our proposed course of action.
I think my staff had questions and wanted to make sure that DEC was satisfied with the departmental officials preparing the tendering process.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
The departmental officials were anything but satisfied, as their correspondence has shown as it's been unearthed before this committee.
Are you aware of any discussions involving Claude Drouin regarding the lease at Place Victoria?
As an Individual
No. I left the department on January 15, 2002, and I went to Denmark in mid-February, and I never had any contact with Claude Drouin or any of my other colleagues after I left for Denmark, except those colleagues who came to travel to Denmark and for whom, as ambassador, I had to take care of their agenda.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
For how long was Albano Girdardo an employee of yours?
As an Individual
Albano Girdardo probably started in 1993 and was there until I left, or about 9 to 10 years.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
And did he ever go into the department? Did he ever move into the department?
As an Individual
He was on my staff for most of the time. I believe he moved to the department for about a month, and then he resigned and came back to work for me.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
Chair, could we just get the dates from the witness on when he moved into the department?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Shawn Murphy
If the witness is able to do so. It would be better done through the department.
As an Individual
I really have no date; I cannot even give you the year. I remember that at a certain time he applied to the Public Service Commission.
Liberal
As an Individual
The department will have that.
Mr. Chair, the short time he worked there was for legislative services, which should make easier to find his exact time, but I don't think it was for more than a month, and it was in the summer period. That gives you an indication to help find this out.
Conservative
David Sweet Conservative Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON
Mr. Chair, I don't want to interrupt anybody, but I think a point of privilege is in order here, in the sense that we summoned Jean-Marc Bard to this committee.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Shawn Murphy
Well, I'm going to follow up with a question right here. Can you hold that thought until I'm through with one question?
Mr. Gagliano, I have one question to follow up on Mr. Poilievre's questions, and please don't interpret this question as any suggestion that Mr. Bard is avoiding this committee. Can you tell us where he is right now? Where is he living?
Liberal
As an Individual
I know he travels to Florida, but the phone number I have is for his house in Montreal. I called him, I left a message, and he called me back.