Evidence of meeting #38 for Public Safety and National Security in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was know.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:50 p.m.
Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet, Security and Intelligence, Privy Council Office
I suspect there are, but I don't know for sure.
4:50 p.m.
NDP
Penny Priddy NDP Surrey North, BC
Mr. Chair, it would be interesting for the committee to know at some stage whether Ms. Couillard's mother underwent a background check from both CSIS and the RCMP.
4:50 p.m.
National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister and Associate Secretary to the Cabinet, Privy Council Office
I believe she was an order in council appointee.
4:50 p.m.
NDP
Penny Priddy NDP Surrey North, BC
She was? Oh, I see. So she would have had a background check by the RCMP and CSIS that said there was no reason to be concerned. Okay.
4:50 p.m.
National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister and Associate Secretary to the Cabinet, Privy Council Office
All order in councils have a two-way check done.
4:50 p.m.
NDP
Penny Priddy NDP Surrey North, BC
Therefore, I can presume from what you've said that CSIS and the RCMP said that we had no reason to be concerned about any of Ms. Couillard's mother's connections, ties, or whatever. That's interesting.
This is not a critique of the Privy Council, but it feels very passive to me. Perhaps that's the way it's set up. If the RCMP brings something to you, you certainly pass it on to the Prime Minister. If you are given background checks to do...and I realize you have a compendium of other things that you do. But the PCO is not a proactive organization in that if they were to see something, they would ask someone to do something about it. I don't mean that disrespectfully, but they wait until something is brought to them.
4:50 p.m.
National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister and Associate Secretary to the Cabinet, Privy Council Office
Well, I don't feel particularly passive these weeks.
4:50 p.m.
National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister and Associate Secretary to the Cabinet, Privy Council Office
I've described what we do in regard to background checks. I'm not sure I can answer any more than that.
4:50 p.m.
NDP
Penny Priddy NDP Surrey North, BC
I have one more, and it's about speculation. I'm not asking you to speculate; I guess I'm just giving you a scenario.
If the scenario we're faced with turns out to be accurate...and all of it may not be accurate. The whole thing may not be. There may be no truth in any of it. I'm not sure that's true, but still, there may be no truth in any of it. I'm not asking you to make some determination based on what you've read in the paper. But if it all turns out to be accurate, would you have expected the RCMP to inform you of that?
4:55 p.m.
National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister and Associate Secretary to the Cabinet, Privy Council Office
I'll repeat what I said before: I would expect the RCMP to inform me about any significant security issue involving a cabinet minister.
4:55 p.m.
Liberal
Marlene Jennings Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC
You've stated before the committee, Ms. Bloodworth, that you learned about the missing documents late afternoon, early evening, on Monday, May 26. That's correct?
4:55 p.m.
National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister and Associate Secretary to the Cabinet, Privy Council Office
I think I said afternoon. It wasn't evening; evening was when the cabinet switch occurred.
4:55 p.m.
Liberal
Marlene Jennings Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC
Okay, it was the afternoon.
Who informed the Prime Minister of these missing documents, and when was he informed?
4:55 p.m.
National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister and Associate Secretary to the Cabinet, Privy Council Office
I don't know exactly when. My understanding is that he was informed by the minister.
4:55 p.m.
National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister and Associate Secretary to the Cabinet, Privy Council Office
That's my understanding; but I was not there.
4:55 p.m.
Liberal
Marlene Jennings Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC
Are you aware that the then minister, now former minister, has made two statements about that--one where he says that he informed the Prime Minister on Monday, May 26, and another where he says he informed the Prime Minister immediately that he learned of the missing documents on the Sunday evening?
4:55 p.m.
National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister and Associate Secretary to the Cabinet, Privy Council Office
I'm aware of his letter of resignation, which I think referred to a date.
4:55 p.m.
Liberal
Marlene Jennings Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC
You've said that a private security firm is doing the investigation on the forensic police and security side for DFAIT into the whole issue of the missing documents. Do you know why the RCMP is not conducting this part of the investigation and review?
4:55 p.m.
National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister and Associate Secretary to the Cabinet, Privy Council Office
First of all, the review is being conducted by Foreign Affairs. They have hired a security firm—
