Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The particular motion that we have before the committee seeks to clarify the strategy of the Department of Finance in awarding contracts. It goes to the question of why so many contracts have been let--a disproportionate number--just below the threshold at which contracts need to be put out for competitive tendering. My constituents have indicated to me that there are a lot of people who have concern about the untendered contract that the Minister of Finance let for the speech that was part of the last economic statement. Certainly we haven't had adequate response in the House as to why this happened. I know the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Finance tried valiantly, but he obviously failed to convince the House that this was because of an administrative procedure that has since been cleaned up. I think we'd like to know what that administrative procedure or failure was, how in fact it has been corrected, how it's not going to be repeated in the future, and why in fact there have been so many contracts let for just under the tendered amount, as well as the one that was let for many times more than the tendered amount.
It's a very salient motion, because we're obviously dealing here with the Minister of Finance, who is entrusted with the integrity of our financial system and who continues to tell us that the economy is in fine shape. But if actions like this on the part of him and his staff go on, I think it raises legitimate questions in the minds of many taxpaying Canadians about whether we're actually running this place with the restraint and prudence that they expect of us.
This motion is one that answers a few of those basic questions. I'd certainly hope for my colleagues to support us on this so we can answer these questions and give Canadians the assurance they're looking for.