House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2019, with 34% of the vote.
Government Contracts May 30th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, I will examine the request that has been made by the hon. member to see if further information can be presented. She may rest assured, however, that it is my intention and my responsibility to ensure that transparency, accountability and the public interest are served by my department.
Government Contracts May 30th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, I do not have that information before me. Nor do I think it may be appropriate to discuss that in the House of Commons.
However I do want to assure the hon. member that the choice of Groupe Everest was made by officials in the Department of Public Works and Government Services on the basis of the agency's standing offer with the department, and that standing offer was the result of a competitive process.
Government Contracts May 30th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, there is nothing more independent, more authoritative, than the RCMP. It will conduct the appropriate investigations. It will make the appropriate decisions. The proper course of justice will be served.
Government Contracts May 30th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, consistent with the obligations that my officials have under the appropriate legislation, including the Financial Administration Act, steps have been taken by the appropriate officials to refer this matter to the RCMP.
Government Contracts May 30th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, I have no information before me to that effect.
Government Contracts May 29th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, I will take the hon. gentleman's question as a representation. I will review the file and see if there is any information in the hands of the Department of Public Works and Government Services that would in any way raise other questions, as has been suggested in the question, that would need to be followed up. If so, I will follow them up.
Government Contracts May 29th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, on the first part of the question, I will seek specific legal advice on whether the releasing of numbers would present a difficulty in the investigation. I will answer that question for the hon. gentleman just as soon as I can.
On the second part of the question, the files in this matter are being reviewed back until I believe it is 1997 by my officials. As he knows, there is also a full scale inquiry being made by the auditor general. I believe between those two processes, the internal one and the external one, all--
Government Contracts May 29th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, as the hon. gentleman knows, the auditor general herself has made certain references to the RCMP. My officials have undertaken to refer any other matters that come to their attention to the RCMP. The advice I have, and I say this very sincerely to the hon. gentleman, from legal advisers is that for me or for anyone else to comment on the number or on the course of those investigations could do exactly what both he and I would not want to do, and that is foul up the investigation.
Therefore, I ask him to bear with me and assure him that any way in which I can be transparent in this matter I most certainly will be.
Government Contracts May 29th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, obviously the matter is in the hands of the RCMP. I am sure no member of the House would want to pursue any course of conduct that would in any way interfere with the RCMP investigation.
On the other hand, I recognize the need for transparency and I will consider what can be done to ensure that while this matter is unfolding there is sufficient transparency to satisfy the public interest.
Government Contracts May 29th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, it is obvious that this file was reviewed by officials in my department. They concluded that there were matters here that raised important questions. Those questions have been referred to the RCMP. The RCMP will investigate and the matter will be disposed of according to law.