Schreiber Returns! Part V: Hey, why don't you *look* at the documents?!

Karlheinz Schreiber returned to the Commons Ethics committee on Tuesday--avec ses notes! As with last Thursday's proceedings, the following is NOT a transcript, so quote at your own risk ;) Time-stamps are approximate. You can return to the beginning of this 'series,' by clicking here: Part I.

Hey, why don't you look at the documents?!

12:14 PM
Martin (NDP): Please be brief, Mr. Schreiber. If we could meet later for coffee, that would be nice.

***laughter***

Martin (NDP): Your lawyer testified in Germany that you had distributed $10 Million to Canadians to influence politicians. True?
Schreiber: my lawyer? I'm not aware of that.
Martin (NDP): Let me ask then...was André Ouellet paid by you while he was a cabinet minister to lobby inside the Chretien PMO?
Schreiber: what position was he?
Martin (NDP): at that time, he would have been Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Schreiber: no. I think I saw him for the first time w/the Atlantic Organization, and I recall I had to give him a courtesy visit in his office. That is all...the rest was done by officials (Thyssen). I never met with him again.
Martin (NDP): Why would Ouellet still be lobbying for BHP during the 1995-1996 period? Has Thyssen lobbied him?
Schreiber: yes. Mr. Marsman was the one who took over. There was a very simple reason--I was so exposed with the Dept. of Defence during Mulroney's time that it didn't make any sense for me to go over there. So, I took myself back and Marsman, president at the time, took over w/Mr. Alford and they visited.
Martin (NDP): the bank acct titled "MARC" in the dying days of the 1993 election campaign--German records show that 500K was transferred into this account. What does "MARC" stand for?
Schreiber: Yes, it was setup to ensure that Lalonde would work for us, Thyssen, but then I was told I would have nothing to do with this, that things had changed and if anything goes up, has to go between Thyssen and Lalonde and I was told I'd have nothing to do with this.
Martin (NDP): Lalonde just went to your bail today, is that right?
Schreiber: I think so, I love him, he's a wonderful person.
Martin (NDP): Still acting as your lawyer?
Schreiber: yes
Martin (NDP): Your lawyer put up your bail?
Schreiber: yes.
Martin (NDP): highly unusual...
Schreiber: what can I say, he's loyal. First of all, he referred me to an excellent lawyer, Martin Longoise (phonetic--sp??)...I'm so happy to be very close. So, when I say (Lalonde's) my lawyer, the maximum I would ask him to do is that I ask him for advice. Don't know whether you know, he's acting only as an arbitrator now.
Martin (NDP): I see. (passes to Mulcair)

12:17 PM
Mulcair (NDP): Mr. Chairman, the settlement in BM affair (2.1 Million)...Mr. Schreiber, why is it, if there was no work done, that you made the first payment at Mirabel in Aug 1993 and a few months later, another payment of 100K, in another hotel, in another city, and within a 16 month period (total), a total of 300K? Why was Mr. Schreiber continuing to make payments if nothing was done in this entire period?
Schreiber: first payment was at Mirabel. All arranged by Doucet. Also, the December meeting (2nd payment). Asking to meet at the Queen Elizabeth hotel. It was the first time after Kim Campbell lost the election. I had a pretty good feeling he would be a good lobbyist, as he has been for other international corporations. I thought I could use him for something, but I would give him "a breather" for the moment.
Mulcair (NDP): you knew that, under oath, BM claimed he never had dealings with you, "echoing a phrase we heard south of the border a couple of years ago" (*snerk*). Was BM telling the truth?
Schreiber: I was puzzled. I was a witness at MBB case. I said I had dealings with BM and I said it was about pasta--this is many years after 1993. Mr. Alford knows all these things 100%. These things (pasta) happened later, ~1995, 1996.
Mulcair (NDP): earlier you explained that you gave $30 000 to the brother of Jean Charest for the 1993 campaign. Has M. Charest been involved elsewhere in this file, as far as you know?
Schreiber: no. Those are spontaneous things. I confess when I heard that Charest would try for the leadership (of the PC party) that I thought it would be something good...young...fresh.
Mulcair (NDP): who approached you (for the money)?
Schreiber: his brother. He also worked in government "somewhere" but he was (Jean's) fundraiser. I met him in the secretary's office of Elmer MacKay (Confederation Building). The brother asked and I said I'd be pleased to do it. Later, we met. When you travel, all these years ago, people were surprised I carried cash in all different currencies. But when you travel like I did--176 days in my worst year--you can't use credit-cards or cheques back then. You keep your money in cash.
Mulcair (NDP): (untranslated) "J'ai dix dollars dans ma poche, pas 30 mille" (smiling)
Szabo (chair, LPC): Order! Mr. Hiebert for 7 mins.

12:22 PM
Hiebert (CPC): will share my time with Mr. Tilson. Mr. Schreiber, I asked you about any correspondence w/PMO and you indicated that you received a reply to one of many letters. I was wondering if that reply you referred to was in the pkg of docs you gave the cmte today...
Schreiber: (conferring with M. Auger, counsel) I have it here. January 22, 2007 letter responding to my Jan 16 (2007) letter. Harper said he forwarded the letter to the Min. Justice, Day, Nicholson, etc.
Hiebert (CPC): (disbelief) no, that's an acknowledgement of receipt from the PCO.
Schreiber: no, the PMO.
Hiebert (CPC): ...acknowledging receipt of your document and saying they're forwarding it to the Justice dept.
Schreiber: why don't you look at the document (*snerk*)
Hiebert (CPC): Mr. Chairman, could you provide the document? Please reserve my time...
Szabo (chair, LPC): it's important to get the doc in the room. Let's get it.

***pause to get doc***
***Newsworld coverage cuts away to Don Newman nattering with someone from the 5th Estate***

Coming up next: Part VI ("Wash me, but don't make me wet"), or Return to Part IV ("'Helpful Donations' and that Dirty, Dirty Liberal Airline")