Inside Politics

MacKay now: "This is common practice"

by Janyce McGregor Posted: November 27, 2009 3:32 PM Last Updated: November 27, 2009 4:07 PM

Yesterday Defence Minister Peter MacKay said he had no idea how retired military generals like Hillier and Gauthier, who are now civillians, were able to access and re-read secret government documents to prepare for their committee testimony on Wednesday. 

By today's Question Period, his officials had him suitably briefed:

Mr. Speaker, we have and will continue to provide all legally available information.

Let us be clear, as part of the preparations to testify in hearings before the parliamentary committee, individuals like Generals Hillier and Gauthier, recently retired, as well currently serving General Fraser were provided documents relevant to the issues being discussed at the parliamentary committee, as were Mr. Colvin and Mr. David Mulroney.

This is a common practice for current and former public servants, to be given information for which they are privy to give testimony before the parliamentary committee. It is the normal practice that we follow. 
So that's it, then...?
 
MacKay faced down a pack of reporters after Question Period today who scrummed him at length on this and many other matters. To minimize video upload and download hassles, I'm not offering you the entire thing, but here's a section that begins and ends with queries on this particular bone of contention. You'll see that by noon today he's demonstrating a more complete grasp of his talking points.
 
Yesterday's scrum, for comparison, is here.