Evidence of meeting #1 for Finance in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
The member is suggesting that all that's being redacted here is phone numbers and email addresses—
Liberal
Liberal
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
Mr. Chair, I still have a lot to say. This is not a point of order.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter
I'll hear Mr. Poilievre out for a minute to see whether it is a point of order.
Go ahead, Mr. Poilievre.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
I was just going to say that under the terms of the previous motion, which was adopted in accordance with the Standing Orders, the documents were to be turned over to the Law Clerk of the House of Commons. If the redactions are simply phone numbers and email addresses, then the Law Clerk can confirm that to be true or untrue and make sure that nothing is released other than that which is permitted according to the original motion.
If it's just phone numbers and email addresses, then the government can hand it over unredacted—
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter
I don't think it is a point of order; it's a matter of debate.
I will go back to Mr. Gerretsen, who is staying pretty relevant to the motion that's on the floor.
Go ahead.
Liberal
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
Although I would agree that it was not a point of order, I want to thank you, Mr. Poilievre, for bringing up that very important point because that is what this amendment is about.
It's about letting them confirm that. It's about inviting them to this committee to allow them the opportunity to confirm that, so, yes, you are right. You didn't have a point of order, but you raised an incredibly good point, which—
Liberal
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
Yes, congratulations. We are starting to get somewhere now, Mr. Poilievre, and it's great.
That's what this amendment is about. It's saying, “Let's invite them here so that they can confirm that.”
Liberal
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
I'm going through detail. I know, Mr. Poilievre, that you have been following this.
Liberal
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
Despite the fact that Mr. Poilievre has been changing backgrounds, I know he has been following along with this.
Liberal
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
He will know, Mr. Chair, that I am going meticulously through these details because where he does not see it as being his responsibility to protect the great public servants that we have, I am going to defend their case—
Liberal
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
—because he will not allow them to come here and do that.
I still have a lot to go. I am on page 68 of 151 pages, Mr. Chair. I still have more to enter in here that I think is entirely appropriate, so I am going to continue to do that now.
Liberal
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
Thank you.
I'm sorry, Mr. Poilievre, if I got under your skin there a little bit, but you will have an opportunity to respond in good time.
We have more emails here. I am now on the email that is on page 458, again looking at public servants involved in the Canada student service grant file. The content is all visible.
Mr. Poilievre, do you want to guess what's missing?
Liberal
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
No, it's the nine-digit phone number that you're obsessed with getting.
The only thing—
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
I just want to call the public servant and ask for the documents to be handed over in accordance with the motion. That's why I need the number. The politicians won't do it, and I know the public servants will. They have the integrity that the politicians don't have.
Maybe what we need is a phone number around here, Mr. Chair.
Liberal
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
That's fair, but it's up to that public servant to provide him with the phone number, and that's the problem here. The public servant does not want you to have the phone number, Mr. Poilievre. I'm sorry to have to let you down on this, but it's the reality of the situation. Until you can get that phone number on your own, I'll just continue reading on this.