Smart ass
MR. FINKELSTEIN: Then, when the Liberals took office in 1993, you became Mr.
Dingwall’s Chief of Staff when he was Minister of Public Works and Government Services?
MR. KINSELLA: That is incorrect. I was his Executive Assistant. There was only one Chief of Staff who was Mr. Pelletier.
MR.FINKELSTEIN: So when you say I am incorrect, I got the title wrong but the
position right. You were the Head of his Staff; is that right?
MR. KINSELLA: That is correct but I was not ---
MR. FINKELSTEIN: The title was Executive Assistant.
MR. KINSELLA: I was not Chief of Staff. I was Executive Assistant.
MR. FINKELSTEIN: Today your position would be called Chief of Staff?
MR. KINSELLA: I don’t know. I am not terribly familiar with the present administration.
MR. FINKELSTEIN: You haven’t followed politics much since.
MR. KINSELLA: At a distance.
Yeah, at a distance.
MR. FINKELSTEIN: Do you know Mr. Guité?
MR. KINSELLA: I knew Mr. Guité, yes.
MR. FINKELSTEIN: When did you first meet Mr. Guité?
MR. KINSELLA: I don't recall specifically but it would have been sometime in 1994.
MR. FINKELSTEIN: You didn't know him when the Liberals were in opposition?
MR. KINSELLA: No, sir.
MR. FINKELSTEIN: You met him I take it then close to the beginning of your tenure at Public Works?
MR. KINSELLA: I can't say how close but in the first half of 1994, I think.
MR. FINKELSTEIN: If I can ask you to turn up Exhibit P-16(a), that is Volume 1, Tab 4? This is a memo from you to Mr. Neville that the Minister is seeking all reports concerning public advertising and public opinion polling. So you were involved in this transparency issue very early on, weren't you?
MR. KINSELLA: Yes.
MR. FINKELSTEIN: Almost right from the beginning, according to this memo?
MR. KINSELLA: Yes.
MR. FINKELSTEIN: And you must have known that Mr. Guité was the person in the department who was regarded as the expert in the area?
MR. KINSELLA: At this point?
MR. FINKELSTEIN: Around that time.
MR. KINSELLA: I don't know. As I said earlier, I can't ---
MR. FINKELSTEIN: It wouldn't have taken you six months to find out, would it, Mr. Kinsella?
MR. KINSELLA: It was a big department. It was an enormous department with many thousands of employees. So I am no being coy with you, Mr. Finkelstein. I don't recall when I met Mr. Guité.
MR. FINKELSTEIN: All right. Well, let us turn up Tab 6. This is a memo dated January 24th, 1994. Mr. Neville is sending a note to you about the minister changing
certain things in an aide-mémoire about advertising guidelines; you remember that, right?
MR. KINSELLA: Yes. I think I sent you this document.
MR. FINKELSTEIN: And so by this time presumably, you would have met the person who was the expert in the department on advertising?
MR. KINSELLA: Again, at the risk of sounding repetitive, I don't know.
MR. FINKELSTEIN: Well, the guidelines ---
MR. KINSELLA: You meant by your question -- I am sorry, just so I am clear, when you say "the person", do you mean Mr. Guité?
MR. FINKELSTEIN: Yes.
MR. KINSELLA: I don't know. I certainly would have met Mr. Neville.
MR. FINKELSTEIN: Right. Just to cut to the chase, Appendix "Q" was -- or Appendix "U" as it then was, was promulgated around June of 1994. You don't remember when you met Mr. Guité, except that it would have been in the first six months of 1994, right?
MR. KINSELLA: That is an estimation, yes.
MR. FINKELSTEIN: So you might not ever have met him until the guideline was
debated, reviewed, been to Treasury Board, changed, amended, finally promulgated; you might not have met Mr. Guité throughout that piece to the best of your recollection?
MR. KINSELLA: I would be guessing and I am sure you wouldn't want me to guess.
MR. FINKELSTEIN: Well, I would like you to give us some idea. If you just have absolutely no idea, then that is your answer.
MR. KINSELLA: Yes, I have absolutely no idea.
Sure, he can't remember such trivial details from so long ago. But what about things earlier in
the day when he was partaking in such witty live blogging?
MR. FINKELSTEIN: You were here earlier this morning when Mr. Dingwall gave his evidence?
MR. KINSELLA: I was here for part of it. What time did he start?
MR. FINKELSTEIN: What time did you get here?
MR. KINSELLA: I don't remember but he looked like he was -- I think I got here about 10:15 or something like that.
MR. FINKELSTEIN: But you don't remember?
MR. KINSELLA: I remember arriving here, yes.
MR. FINKELSTEIN: You just don't remember what time?
MR. KINSELLA: No.
MR. FINKELSTEIN: That was a long time ago.
HE WAS SAVING THE COUNTRY FILKELSTEIN! DON'T YOU GET IT! Quit worrying about details - he wanted you to ask him whether they saved Canada!
He wanted to say this - as predicted by Shamrocks!
Oh, that was funny - thanks Patrick.General Klapp: Son, we live in a country that needs unity. And that unity has
to be guarded by the government with money. Who's gonna do it? You? You,
Gumerie? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep
for adscam and you curse the liberals. You have that luxury. You have the luxury
of not knowing what I know: That respectability's death, while tragic, probably
saved the country. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to
you, saved the country. You don't want the truth. Because deep down, in places
you don't talk about at parties, you want me out there guarding unity. You want
me there.We use words like patronage, bullying, smearing...we use these words as the
backbone to a life spent defending something. You use 'em as a punchline. I have
neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and
sleeps under the blanket of the very unity I provide, then questions the manner
in which I provide it. I'd prefer you just said thank you and went on your way.
Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a liberal membership and stand a post. Either
way, I don't give a damn what you think you're entitled to.
