Public Accounts Committee on June 18th, 2024

[D/Commr Mark Flynn]

I expect you will hear of results as we arrive at them, as long as there is no impact on other investigations by revealing that information.

[Blake Desjarlais, NDP, Edmonton Griesbach, AB]

Just to clarify that point, do you mean if these multiple investigations are connected in any way?

[D/Commr Mark Flynn]

That is the most likely way there would be a conflict that would lead to our not revealing it publicly. If we had five people in five different offences that are disconnected, there would not likely be any conflict in revealing that we had arrived at charges against one individual.

[Blake Desjarlais, NDP, Edmonton Griesbach, AB]

Like identity fraud—

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

Thank you. That is the time.

We're turning now to Mr. Brock for five minutes, please.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

Commissioner, can you confirm that the next general election will not impede or interfere with your multiple investigations into fraudulent procurement practices and the potential laying of criminal charges?

[Commr Michael Duheme]

As I mentioned earlier, the independence of policing is a key thing for us, and it's respected. We will not change course because there's a general election.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

The answer is, no, it will not.

[Commr Michael Duheme]

That's correct.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

Thank you, Commissioner.

To either gentlemen, the majority of MPs in the House of Commons voted for a Conservative motion that orders the Auditor General, the Department of Industry and SDTC, the green slush fund, to collect...and submit them to the parliamentary law clerk. The motion passed essentially programs the parliamentary law clerk to hand over files to the RCMP.

[Brenda Shanahan, Liberal, Châteauguay—Lacolle, QC]

I have a point of order, Chair.

It's just about relevance. I know we flip back and forth on topics, but we're here today to discuss ArriveCAN.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

I'm going to allow it. You know I give latitude. This is a matter before Parliament.

Mr. Brock, you have the floor for four minutes.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

Nice try, Mrs. Shanahan.

To hand over files to the RCMP, they will be delivered to the RCMP headquarters. Will you commit, Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner, to undertake a review of those documents?

[D/Commr Mark Flynn]

I can say that any information that comes to the RCMP will go through the appropriate level of review, using the appropriate resources to do so.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

I don't know if you recognize the importance of a thorough police investigation into the green slush fund. It's been discovered that over 186 different conflicts of interest, not flagged, not acted upon, which resulted in the delivery of 300—

[Brenda Shanahan, Liberal, Châteauguay—Lacolle, QC]

I have a point of order, Chair.

I think we're going to have lots of time to talk about the SDTC. If the Conservatives are bored with ArriveCAN—

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

That's not a point of order.

[Brenda Shanahan, Liberal, Châteauguay—Lacolle, QC]

—we can certainly conclude it.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

Mrs. Shanahan, that's not a point of order, but I will note your willingness to have the RCMP back for the green slush fund.

Mr. Brock, you have the floor.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

It's amazing the extent the Liberal government will do to block our attempts to get some answers.

Three hundred and forty million taxpayer dollars sent out.... If this were a publicly traded company, charges would have been laid and people would have been fired. There's such a difference between the public and the private spheres.

Will you give Canadians and parliamentarians your commitment to reviewing this as swiftly as possible?

[Commr Michael Duheme]

I think Mark was pretty clear on the information we'd receive and the actions that we would take.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

Thank you.

I listened very carefully, Deputy Commissioner, to your exchange with my colleague Mr. Barrett. Mr. Barrett gave you a hypothetical about potential charges, particularly in relation to the attempts by Minh Doan to delete thousands and thousands of relevant emails. Your response piqued my interest. Your response was that any person who thwarts a criminal investigation will potentially face consequences. That's true for every Canadian, isn't it?

[D/Commr Mark Flynn]

That is correct, and for precision, my answer was not in the context of Minh Doan.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

Right. I understand that it was in a general context, but it applies to every Canadian. The same can't be said for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who single-handedly obstructed your investigation into an obstruction of justice charge in his involvement in the SNC-Lavalin matter. Name one Canadian, Commissioner—

[Brenda Shanahan, Liberal, Châteauguay—Lacolle, QC]

I have a point of order.

We're not talking about SNC-Lavalin either. Relevance....?