Public Safety Committee on Dec. 5th, 2006

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

I only have five minutes. Can you please answer the question that was posed to you?

[Commr Giuliano Zaccardelli]

Mr. Chairman, my answer is—

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

Can you please, Commissioner Zaccardelli, answer the question that was posed to you?

[Commr Giuliano Zaccardelli]

I made it very clear on September 28 and I've made it clear today that there was never any political direction or influence on my decision when to speak, how to speak, or what to say relative to this matter. Any suggestion along that line is totally inaccurate, Mr. Chair.

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

You contradicted yourself on that, but I have a question, and I'd appreciate it if I could get an answer. Did you receive any consultant's advice on how to deal with the media or this committee at any time from September 18 to the present, yes or no?

[Commr Giuliano Zaccardelli]

I received advice from a number of sources in preparation for my testimony before the committee.

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

Including consulting firms?

[Commr Giuliano Zaccardelli]

Yes, I did.

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

Are you willing to provide this committee with a complete copy of an agenda or schedule that your office kept that would show all the meetings that were held between the release of the report on September 18 up to the testimony on September 28, yes or no?

[Commr Giuliano Zaccardelli]

A schedule of what?

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

Your agenda, your calendar between the 18th and the 28th. Are you willing to provide the committee with that, yes or no?

[Commr Giuliano Zaccardelli]

Mr. Chair, I will take legal advice on that point. If I can provide the agenda, I certainly will do it.

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

Are you willing to provide the committee with any phone logs you may have kept from the period of September 18 to September 28, yes or no?

[Commr Giuliano Zaccardelli]

Mr. Chairman, the same answer applies.

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

Are you willing to provide the committee with all correspondence you received, including e-mails that may have been circulated between your office, senior officials of the RCMP, senior officials and political staff at PSEPC, Minister Day, the Prime Minister, any member of the PMO, and any outside third party, such as an adviser or a consultant, relating to and concerning the commission of inquiry report, between the 18th and the 28th?

[Commr Giuliano Zaccardelli]

Mr. Chairman, my same answer applies to that question.

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

Yesterday, you gave a speech at the Château Laurier that touched upon, among other things, the testimony you were going to give here today. Can you tell me who was made aware that you were going to give this speech? In particular, was Minister Day, anyone from his staff or the Prime Minister's Office, or any outside adviser or consultant aware that you were going to make this speech?

[Commr Giuliano Zaccardelli]

Very shortly before I gave the speech, I sent a copy of my notes to the department, as I usually do, and to PCO. It was literally within half an hour of me giving that speech.

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

So they were made aware of the speech yesterday, then.

[Commr Giuliano Zaccardelli]

Yes.

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

Did anyone else see a draft of your speech before it was delivered? If so, who? Were there comments on the draft? If so, what was the substance of those comments?

[Commr Giuliano Zaccardelli]

Mr. Chairman, I talked to a lot of people about getting ready, for notes—

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

This was a big speech. You would remember who you talked to. Who did you speak to on the speech and its substance?

[Commr Giuliano Zaccardelli]

Mr. Chairman, I spoke to a lot of people about—

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

Did those people include people in Minister Day's office or the PMO?