Evidence of meeting #42 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was preuss.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Director General, Civil Aviation, Department of Transport
It was never my intention. In fact, from my perspective, it would have been a pointless threat. In my experience, it would cause me no end of grief if I even hinted at that type of action.
Conservative
David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
There is talk in this affidavit of an e-mail. Do you recall an e-mail being sent?
Director General, Civil Aviation, Department of Transport
I have a good working relationship with the presidents of the bargaining agents and the unions in this country and, for that matter, the associations. So an e-mail in this particular case about my phone number, yes, I changed my cellphone number and I was sending that to everybody.
Conservative
David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
So all the e-mail was saying is what your telephone number was. It wasn't anything else then.
Director General, Civil Aviation, Department of Transport
Yes. What happened I think in the period of time from when I changed the phone number and I broadcast the e-mail to most people on my mailing list indicating that my cellphone number had changed.... Then to facilitate a return call from Mr. Holbrook, I wanted to ensure that the association had received my new phone number. That's all that was referring to.
Conservative
Director General, Civil Aviation, Department of Transport
I guess to smooth the way for my employees and my managers should any of my employees be invited to appear before this committee in any capacity.
Conservative
David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
She talked about tone, almost like suggesting it was a negative type of tone, a threatening tone. That is what the suggestion is. Do you know what she's talking about there?
Conservative
David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
I have no other questions. This is uncontradicted evidence that he didn't do anything wrong. I haven't heard anything else.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
Mr. Chair, first of all I want to clear up something here.
If you refer to the minutes of the meeting of February 21, I think you'll see that when the matter of having Mr. Preuss come back before us was brought up, there was a reference made that it would give us an opportunity to look at all of the so-called allegations that may have come up.
I have a series of questions that don't pertain to this particular matter but another one where someone said that something had been said by Mr. Preuss. If you're going to rule me out of order, then I'd rather wait until there's a wrap-up session with officials of Transport Canada, because I don't have any questions on this particular matter. But it is about allegations of some things having been said.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed
The motion that was brought forward was a very direct motion dealing with this particular allegation. I have the motion in front of me. I can read it.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed
It says: “That Merlin Preuss, Director General, Civil Aviation, Transport Canada, appear before the Committee no later than March 31, 2007, to answer to allegations made by the Canadian Federal Pilots Association at the Committee's meeting on February 21, 2007”.
Again, I think to be fair to Mr. Preuss, he saw the copy of the motion and probably came strictly to respond to that, and that's what I've tried to--
Liberal
Paul Zed Liberal Saint John, NB
Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Preuss, we're just trying to deal with obviously a very specific matter that was raised.
But, Mr. Chair, I'm trying to understand. The witness has responded raising other information, and so why would it be inappropriate to pursue the information that he's responded to? For example, he's responded to the letter. In his reply he specifically raises a letter that occurred between him and CUPE, this Pamela Sachs letter.
Liberal
Paul Zed Liberal Saint John, NB
Okay. I understand that you ruled it out of order, but would it not be in order if he circulated the letter? Could we not then pursue that matter? I mean, how can the gentleman properly defend himself or advance a position if we're surgically dealing with one comment that was made in the context of a larger subject area?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed
I think that when Mr. Preuss comes back before this committee we can ask him any of those questions, but this motion is specific. It deals directly with a meeting and that comment.
Liberal
Paul Zed Liberal Saint John, NB
But isn't his integrity at stake? I would think that this gentleman would want to defend his integrity.
There's another media story out today that references a memo. Are you familiar with that, Mr. Preuss?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed
If you would like him to come back at another time to discuss this, I'd prefer it. I'm prepared to entertain it.
Liberal
Paul Zed Liberal Saint John, NB
No, I'd just like to clear it up.
Let me ask this question. Are you familiar with the media story related to a memo--that you are alleged to have said certain things in a memo?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed
Again, I will not allow him to answer that question. Mr. Preuss is here to deal with one specific issue. If the committee has no more questions on this issue, we can move on to the Tassé report, but I'm not going to allow it to expand into a witch hunt at this particular time.