FAAE Committee Report

Supplementary Report—Conservative Party of Canada

The Members of the Conservative Party of Canada of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development do not agree with the opposition contention that the Minister of International Cooperation is in breach of privilege this Committee or the House of Commons.

When the Minister of International Cooperation was asked a direct question about who wrote the word “NOT” in the Kairos memo she refused to mislead this Committee.  The Minister did not know who in her office had actually written the word on the document, as accurately reflected in her answer, “I do not know.”

The Minister had directed her staff to ensure that her decision was reflected on the document in question, and it was. The Minister`s decision became, in fact, Department`s decision and was properly considered and referred to thereafter as a CIDA decision.

There was never any intent whatsoever, in either the Minister’s direction to her staff about having the document in question reflect the Minister’s decision, or in staff’s implementation of that direction, to give an incorrect impression of officials’ advice to the Minister.

The Minister does understand that she could have more clearly communicated the purpose and intent of why and how her office implemented her direction, and she has apologized to the House of Commons for how this issue has been handled.  In that statement, she clearly said that it was never her intention to mislead either the House of Commons or the Committee.

No evidence has come before the Committee questioning any of the foregoing.  It must and does follow that the Minister’s answer did not in any way mislead this Committee or the House of Commons.  In fact it is the Opposition that has attempted to mislead this Committee and the House both by mischaracterizing the Minister’s communication of her own decision in a way that suggests a breach of privilege.