Public Accounts committee  I would tell you that I'm a bit surprised that the committee is still examining this issue. Parliament is not a tribunal, and there are all kinds of judicial activities currently underway concerning this matter. So I am a bit surprised. Once the judicial process is underway, it s

Public Accounts committee  Sir, when someone from your riding asks you to resolve an issue and you bring pressure to bear, are you interfering in the administration of the relationship? No. It's the same thing. We were asked for our opinion on events to be sponsored or not to be sponsored, and sometimes we

Public Accounts committee  I always said they were political opinions on sponsorship requests, but that we did not concern ourselves with administration.

Public Accounts committee  The purpose of the program was to raise Canada's profile through subsidized activities. It is quite clear that a subsidized activity that highlighted Canada was more important politically. I am not talking about partisanship; I'm talking about politics. It was more important in A

Public Accounts committee  Mr. Chairman, I think two things are being confused. In the question that has been put to me here, reference is made to activities, facts. The only fact of which I had any knowledge was the internal audit report. In all the rest, there are no facts, only rumours. I said that when

Public Accounts committee  Yes, but, Mr. Chairman, I want—

Public Accounts committee  Sir, a rumour, in my view, is not an activity. Furthermore, I talked about rumours—

Public Accounts committee  It was the word activities. A rumour is not an activity. The text states— ...were you personally aware of any activities by the communications function within the federal government or processes they followed...? We're talking about activities, and activities are not rumours.

Public Accounts committee  Sir, first I would say that earlier you prevented me from finishing. If you want us to give you the references that I have in my evidence of three years ago, we can do that and submit them to the clerk, who will submit them to you. You've just asked me... What did you ask me? I'm

Public Accounts committee  I am not in a position to answer the question when I am asked how it is that the Privy Council Office was involved. You ask them that; I don't know.

Public Accounts committee  Mr. Chairman, I took care of that because the Assistant Clerk of the Privy Council called me to ask me to clarify matters. I thought that the best service I could render to Canadian society, to propriety and to good governance was to ensure that the rules had been properly follow

Public Accounts committee  I said nothing contradictory. There was no connection with the agencies regarding the sponsorship issue, no more with Mr. Boulay than with any other. I established that very clearly when I testified here three years ago. As for the rest, it was not a meeting, but a social encount

Public Accounts committee  I've already told you that. I have nothing to add to what I told you.

Public Accounts committee  It is somewhat amusing that I'm being criticized because I contacted Mr. Boulay, whereas I wanted to ensure that the rules had been properly complied with. It was precisely in order to ensure that there had been no abuse that, at the request of the Privy Council Office, I—

Public Accounts committee  Mr. Chair, I believe I've already answered the question perfectly well. First, I said before this committee that I had no contact with Mr. Boulay concerning the sponsorship issue. I reaffirm that strongly. Second, I was put in Mr. Boulay's presence at a reception where there wer