Public Safety Committee on June 17th, 2008

[Margaret Bloodworth]

No, I was trying to recall and answer your question. I was involved in the investigation of the unauthorized release of information with regard to the NAFTA issue. That was an investigation.

So when I said we're not an investigative body, I meant that we're not an investigative body like the RCMP and CSIS. All departments conduct a form of investigation, if you like. They look into things within their own purview and they may hire people to help them with that.

[The Chair, Conservative, Garry Breitkreuz]

You're going to have to wrap it up, Ms. Brown.

[Bonnie Brown, Liberal, Oakville, ON]

As national security adviser, supposing you heard something about some other department, some other case altogether that was going on in a department, and you weren't sure that you wanted them to do the investigation, might you call the RCMP and ask them to do it?

[Margaret Bloodworth]

What I would do is call the deputy minister of that department, because ultimately they are accountable. And if I thought it was wise because there was some indication of a crime, that's when the RCMP would be called. I might suggest it to them, yes.

[The Chair, Conservative, Garry Breitkreuz]

Thank you.

I believe that completes the first round. We'll start over again now.

Mr. Dosanjh.

[Ujjal Dosanjh, Liberal, Vancouver South, BC]

Thank you.

Ms. Bloodworth, you did indicate to us that there was a concern in your mind, and that prompted the statement in response to the RCMP testimony before us. That concern prompted your statement that the PCO issued.

What I want to know is, who first thought that the PCO should do this statement?

[Margaret Bloodworth]

First of all, I don't think I used “concern”. It's not an inappropriate “concern”. I don't think it was my word. My word was a lot of speculation, and we did decide.

[Ujjal Dosanjh, Liberal, Vancouver South, BC]

I appreciate that.

[Margaret Bloodworth]

I can't recall, between Kevin Lynch and me, who first suggested it, but it was between the two of us.

[Ujjal Dosanjh, Liberal, Vancouver South, BC]

Did you consult with the RCMP before issuing the statement?

[Margaret Bloodworth]

Yes, we did.

[Ujjal Dosanjh, Liberal, Vancouver South, BC]

And who did you consult with in the RCMP?

[Margaret Bloodworth]

By the time I talked to the commissioner, I was telling him what we were going to do.

But I think, Rennie, you talked to....

[Rennie Marcoux]

I spoke to Assistant Commissioner Souccar and I told him we were issuing a statement.

[Ujjal Dosanjh, Liberal, Vancouver South, BC]

And what did Assistant Commissioner Souccar say to you?

[Rennie Marcoux]

We talked at length about the pros and cons, but I don't recall his saying to me that it would impair an investigation.

[Ujjal Dosanjh, Liberal, Vancouver South, BC]

Right. What were the pros and cons?

[Rennie Marcoux]

Well, it was one day after they testified.

[Ujjal Dosanjh, Liberal, Vancouver South, BC]

Yes, and what do you mean by that? What do you mean by that?

[Rennie Marcoux]

Essentially, it may look as if we were contradicting the RCMP. We talked that through, and I said we were not contradicting the RCMP; we were trying to clarify media speculation.

[Ujjal Dosanjh, Liberal, Vancouver South, BC]

So did he tell you it would not impair an investigation?

[Rennie Marcoux]

I don't know if we even talked about the issue of an investigation.

[Ujjal Dosanjh, Liberal, Vancouver South, BC]

You just actually said that he said it would not impair an investigation.

[Rennie Marcoux]

No, I said we did not talk about that.

[Ujjal Dosanjh, Liberal, Vancouver South, BC]

No, no. You actually said that he said to you, “It would not impair an investigation”.