Public Safety Committee on June 17th, 2008

[Ujjal Dosanjh, Liberal, Vancouver South, BC]

Yes, but did he raise that concern with you? Or by saying, “I'm concerned that your statement comes so soon after my evidence before the committee”, did he mean that you would be outing the RCMP on that issue, when they themselves wouldn't out themselves?

[Rennie Marcoux]

I'm not sure I understand that. I'm sorry.

[Ujjal Dosanjh, Liberal, Vancouver South, BC]

They would disclose to you but not disclose to us. They would allow you to disclose their position, but they would not disclose directly to us.

[Rennie Marcoux]

Our statement did not disclose the RCMP position on whether or not they investigated Madame Couillard.

[Ujjal Dosanjh, Liberal, Vancouver South, BC]

Your statement disclosed the fact that they did not contact the PCO, and they would not disclose that to us.

Let me ask you another question, the last question. Why is Mr. Lynch not here? He was invited to be before us. Why is he not here?

[Margaret Bloodworth]

Because the committee indicated he wasn't necessary.

[Ujjal Dosanjh, Liberal, Vancouver South, BC]

Absolutely not. The committee—

[Margaret Bloodworth]

I'm sorry, that's the information we have.

[Ujjal Dosanjh, Liberal, Vancouver South, BC]

I want to know who in the committee indicated to you that he wasn't necessary.

[Margaret Bloodworth]

All our—

[Ujjal Dosanjh, Liberal, Vancouver South, BC]

The committee put him on the list; I put him on the list. There was no objection. He was asked for. Your name was added subsequently in addition to Mr. Lynch's name, Ms. Bloodworth. I want to know who from the committee told you he wasn't needed.

[Margaret Bloodworth]

What I'm saying is that Mr. Lynch was very willing to come today—

[Ujjal Dosanjh, Liberal, Vancouver South, BC]

That's not the issue, madam. Who told you--

[Margaret Bloodworth]

Well, I'd like to answer the question.

[Ujjal Dosanjh, Liberal, Vancouver South, BC]

The question is, who told you he wasn't needed?

[Margaret Bloodworth]

I am trying to answer the question. I am saying Mr. Lynch was very willing to come to the committee. The indication we got back, I presume through the clerk, was that the committee was quite happy to have the three of us.

[Ujjal Dosanjh, Liberal, Vancouver South, BC]

I'm sorry, that's not my understanding. His name was at the top. We had the list yesterday, and his name was still at the top of the PCO individuals to appear here.

[The Chair, Conservative, Garry Breitkreuz]

We had an in camera meeting yesterday, and I can't reveal the results of that, but we agreed to invite the PCO officials, and that's what went forward.

[Ujjal Dosanjh, Liberal, Vancouver South, BC]

No, I'm sorry, during the meeting you told me the PCO is coming.

[The Chair, Conservative, Garry Breitkreuz]

That's right.

[Ujjal Dosanjh, Liberal, Vancouver South, BC]

You didn't tell me Kevin Lynch wasn't coming. His name was on the list. I want to know why that is the case. I was not told Kevin Lynch wasn't coming. I want to know why, when it was discussed in the committee—the list was with you—the chair chose to omit him.

[The Chair, Conservative, Garry Breitkreuz]

Mr. MacKenzie.

[Dave MacKenzie, Conservative, Oxford, ON]

Mr. Chair, I find it rather ironic. We've been here two hours and all of a sudden we have an eruption about the witnesses.

I think you've heard from perfectly good witnesses. If you had an issue with the witnesses, I believe you should have brought it up at the beginning of the meeting.

[Ujjal Dosanjh, Liberal, Vancouver South, BC]

Sir, that's not the issue. I can satisfy myself, but I want to know why the committee chair would—

[Dave MacKenzie, Conservative, Oxford, ON]

I don't know whether you just woke up or not, because Mr. Lynch wasn't here when we started.