A cabinet aide has confirmed the Liberal and NDP parties held closed-door meetings to amend the Elections Act, a move that Conservatives argue aims to ensure parliamentary pensions for dozens of MPs.
Assistant cabinet secretary Allen Sutherland testified at the House Affairs committee that, prior to the introduction of Bill C-65 (An Act To Amend The Canada Elections Act), meetings were held by MPs and their staff to review the drafts.
“We attended a meeting where the substance of that proposal was discussed. My understanding is the briefing was primarily oral,” he said.
When Conservative MP Luc Berthold asked Sutherland about the dates of the meetings and who was involved, Sutherland said he could not remember. “I attended, I believe, two meetings of that kind,” he said, as first covered by Blacklock’s Reporter….