Evidence of meeting #84 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was office.
A video is available from Parliament.
4:15 p.m.
Nominee for the position of Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, As an Individual
It was a hybrid file. It started in 2008, as the report says, but it was continuing after 2011 as well.
4:15 p.m.
Nominee for the position of Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, As an Individual
I was accountable for part of it, but not for the early portion of it.
4:15 p.m.
Liberal
Frank Baylis Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
Okay.
I note that, and I'll quote the Auditor General here. He says:
Given the recent history of PSIC—
You had mentioned that you had to come in and do a lot of work there.
—and the enormous transition within the organization while it was dealing with this file, we did not expect that 100 percent of its files would have been managed without error.
Can you elaborate on that, then?
4:15 p.m.
Nominee for the position of Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, As an Individual
I was very pleased when I saw that in the draft report. It was an acknowledgement of the very unusual, difficult, generalized situation. I was pleased that the Auditor General was cognizant of the inherent difficulties in managing in that context, and that he would say so in his report. I was very pleased with that.
4:15 p.m.
Liberal
Frank Baylis Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
You mentioned that when you came in, there was an awful lot of work that needed to be done to get the organization back up to speed.
4:15 p.m.
Nominee for the position of Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, As an Individual
We basically redid the whole thing.
I was appointed in late December, and I hired Deloitte. We did a complete checklist of things to be looked at, and their job was to tell me how many files were defective, how many files did not meet one of the 15 points on the checklist—at least one, some of them more than one.
I was able to reduce the size of the problem. Within three months, we knew we had 71 files that had defects.
4:15 p.m.
Nominee for the position of Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, As an Individual
The difference of 147 did not have any defects, according to Deloitte, which did the study.
Step two was a decision. I had to make a decision in each and every one of those 71 files as to what would be fair to do for the complainant in light of the defects. Some of them were very defective. Some of them had a single little defect. We crafted a custom-made solution in each of the 71 files.
We informed the claimant. We consulted with the claimant and we made a final decision. We implemented the final decision in each of those 71 files. I think within about nine months the process was over, so we were back to some form of normality.
The staffing problem was a real one. We had a 50% vacancy, and 50% of those who were there were demoralized—profoundly demoralized. It's not good to have your organization described as a complete disaster.
4:15 p.m.
Liberal
Frank Baylis Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
If I understand, you come in and you have a 50% vacancy rate. You have 71 files that are not meeting the criteria that you have to get to work on. You have a demoralized staff. Lo and behold they say, “You know what? These two files didn't get done on time.” My personal view is that's not really a black mark. I would look at it as the glass being 99% full. I think you did a fantastic job. I would like to commend you on that.
I also understand that it's not just a Liberal thing. You've served under many prime ministers who were not Liberal, is that correct?
4:15 p.m.
Nominee for the position of Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, As an Individual
I was appointed to public sector integrity by Mr. Harper.
4:15 p.m.
Nominee for the position of Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, As an Individual
To the Parole Board as well, between 2006-09....
4:20 p.m.
Nominee for the position of Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, As an Individual
It was by the Harper government as well.
4:20 p.m.
Nominee for the position of Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, As an Individual
Yes.
4:20 p.m.
Liberal
Frank Baylis Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
Okay. Who appointed you to the citizenship and immigration file that you were on?
4:20 p.m.
Nominee for the position of Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, As an Individual
Again, it was the Harper government in 2015.
4:20 p.m.
Liberal
Frank Baylis Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
I find it interesting that Mr. Kent would find flaw with one or two little things that you didn't get done in an amazing set, yet time and time again, the Conservative government appointed you.
4:20 p.m.
Nominee for the position of Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, As an Individual
I'd like to correct something. The Indian residential schools, 2003, was the Martin government. In 2006-09 it was the Parole Board, by the Harper government. In 2010-14 it was the public sector integrity office, and that was by the Harper government as well. The IRB was also the Harper government.
4:20 p.m.
Liberal
Frank Baylis Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
I know I'm running out of time, but I think it's a very important point to underline in your candidacy. Both major parties have seen fit to put you in major leadership roles time and again, not just once.
4:20 p.m.
Nominee for the position of Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, As an Individual
That's correct.
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
