One of the running jokes on Parliament Hill over the last few days has been the supposed efforts by a bailiff to deliver a summons ordering Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s director of communications to appear before the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics. Joke wanted posters popped up on poles around the Parliamentary precinct and the affair even garnered its own Twitter hashtag #dimitrionthelam.
During its June 3 meeting, Committee Chairman Paul Szabo read out a report from bailiff Jay Fox on his attempts to serve the summons to appear.
With regard to Mr. Soudas, similarly, the same date, Mr. Fox reported:
On June 1, 2010, I attempted to serve the Summons on Dimitri Soudas at 80 Wellington Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario.
That is the Langevin Block, the building across the street.
He goes on:
This is a secure government building and I was unable to gain access to Mr. Soudas office. I called Mr. Soudas on three occasions between June 1st, 2010, and June 2nd, 2010. I spoke to Mr. Soudas’ executive assistant each time and informed him that I had summons from the House of Commons to serve on Mr. Soudas. The executive assistant confirmed that Mr. Soudas was in the office and would return my call. On the morning of June 2nd when I spoke to Mr. Soudas’ executive assistant he stated that Mr. Soudas was aware I was attempting to serve him with documents and would call me back.
I have yet to receive a return call from Dimitri Soudas and am unable to effect service at this time.
In both regards, I contacted the clerk and instructed him to have the bailiff continue to attempt to serve the summons.
Last night, in a note taking exception to a suggestion that he had been dodging the bailiff, Soudas points out that the bailiff must not be trying very hard.
But when I walk back and forth from langevin to Center block about 10 times a day.
When I talk to reporters in the foyer almost every day.
I don’t think this bailiff would be able to track down the statues on parliament hill who don’t move and have been on the hill for decades.
The government’s policy is clear. Ministers are accountable to parliament. And this committee has turned into an unfortunate kangaroo court.
Ironically, the committee has ordered Soudas to appear by today. However it doesn’t normally meet on Wednesdays and there would be nobody there to hear him if he did show up to testify.
