This morning, our friends at The Globe and Mail reported:
… the former public works minister, a potential contender for the Liberal leadership, sent an e-mail to one of CIBC's employees the day before Ottawa announced its much-anticipated policy on income trusts last November, in which he suggested the recipient would likely be pleased by the decision …
This afternoon, Scott Brison held a press conference to release the full e-mail exchange (with the names and other identifiers of his correspondent blacked out) and to read the following statement:
First and foremost, I had no advance information about the timing or the substance of Mr. Goodale’s announcement on income trusts before I sent the e-mail in question.
In this e-mail to an acquaintance, on another matter, which I am also releasing today, I briefly speculated on information which, at that point, was already in the public domain.
On Tuesday, November 22, at 11:41am, [Note from Akin here: – On Tues Nov. 22 at 11:41, the federal cabinet was meeting] I initiated an e-mail conversation with an employee of CIBC, to track down a phone number. During the course of the conversation, this individual expressed displeasure with the overall state of the equity markets in Canada, and that the government had brought them to a ‘standstill’. At 5:53 pm, I wrote, “I think you will be happier very soon…this week probably.” This exchange continued the next evening following Mr. Goodale’s announcement on income trusts.
At the time of this exchange on late Tuesday afternoon, Mr. Goodale had made comments to the press regarding income trusts after Question Period that day. These comments set off speculation about the timing of an announcement, particularly in light of the impending election. This issue had already been the subject of intense public discussion and speculation in the preceding weeks. Many in the investment community had speculated that an announcement coming before an election would undoubtedly be good news, largely because it would end uncertainty in the markets. My correspondence with the CIBC employee conveyed nothing more than what was being publicly speculated at the time.
On the morning of January 18, I met with the RCMP, at their request, in Wolfville, during which meeting the e-mail exchange was discussed. I have not since spoken with the RCMP since that day.
Yesterday, I returned a phone call from a Globe and Mail reporter, without knowing the subject he wished to discuss. At the time, I was reluctant to discuss what I knew to be the subject of an RCMP investigation. I acknowledge that I should have been more clear in my comments.
I have made it a practice in public life to be open, honest and direct about myself and when dealing with issues. This is why I am taking this step today to clear up any confusion.