QUESTION PERIOD — Prime Minister’s Office
Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments
October 2, 2024
Government leader, last week, I asked you about a completely inadequate recent response to one of my written questions about the advisory board for Senate appointments. That question was first put on the Order Paper on May 1, 2020.
Last year, my office submitted an access-to-information request to the Privy Council Office, or PCO, seeking any documents they produced in response to my question. Yesterday, through the access-to-information request, we learned that, in fact, the PCO approved an answer on June 15, 2020. An email on that date stated, “It may now go to PMO for final approval.”
As well, the PCO’s answers to my specific questions were redacted, and their response tabled last week didn’t answer them either.
Leader, why did the Prime Minister’s Office, or PMO, keep this response from me for over four years?
Senator, I have no idea. I regret — I’m the government leader, yes, and I know what I — excuse me, I’m the Government Representative. That’s who I am according to the law, thank you very much. Accuracy does matter, and I’m trying to be accurate.
You asked me an honest question. It’s a fair question. I don’t know the answer.
Well, in fact, our previous Speaker ruled you were the government leader, not the Government Representative, and you should have the answer.
On January 27, 2022, the PCO sent an email to redacted addresses, most certainly in the PMO, saying:
Attached for signature by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, the response from PCO to Senate Written Question No. 90.
This was almost three years ago, but nothing was tabled until last week. Who in the PMO is responsible for hiding this response from me and from Canadians? If you don’t have the answer, find it.
I don’t have the answer. The Parliament of Canada Act at the time I was appointed —
My question was about this, not who you are.
I’m answering your question. I’m trying to correct the record, and you know the answer very well.
I have answered the question. I don’t have the answer. Under the Parliament of Canada Act — and you know this very well, senator — I am legally now entitled to call myself, in law, the Government Representative, even though you know that at the time I was appointed —
I’ll call you what you are.
I have nothing more to say in response to this.
