Information & Ethics committee  Last year around this time, Mr. Michel Rivard, the Conservative Party accountant in Quebec City, called me one afternoon and asked me not to speak any more to Elections Canada. I answered that unfortunately, Elections Canada and I were on a first-name basis. I added that after everything the Conservative Party had done, I had nothing to apologize for and that I would tell Elections Canada nothing but the truth.

Information & Ethics committee  Michel Rivard. The Conservative Party accountant.

Information & Ethics committee  Yes, sir.

Information & Ethics committee  I began to receive letters from Elections Canada around the end of May or the beginning of June in 2007.

Information & Ethics committee  They said that I had placed $14,000 in my... during the last elections, and they wanted to know what this money had been used for. I had received at least 10% of the votes and they returned $8,000 to me. I was asked where this $8,000 was. I answered that I had no idea, that I had never seen the $8,000 reimbursement in our account.

Information & Ethics committee  To answer this gentleman's question, the reason I didn't come with an attorney is that you are going to get the same story as I delivered last year in the press and the same story will be told today. Now, if you gentlemen can't handle the truth, that's really not in my ballpark, that's in your ballpark, sir.

Information & Ethics committee  The evidence I shall give on this examination shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God.