Thank you, Madam Chair.
Mr. Fortier, it is difficult to be able to ask you questions because--and I'm saying this frankly--you're not in the House, so we do appreciate that you are here today.
I would like to say that because of the changes.... And I didn't just put out a press release; I got the support of this committee to get a motion passed. We would like to see you again, because I'm sure I'm not alone in having a number of larger questions about procurement and the direction of your ministry, which, as they evolve, we would like to be able to discuss with you.
And I do want to ask a question, but I want to finish with my line of questioning in my earlier few minutes, just to say that I find it really troubling that at a time when moneys are being cut from programs that are important to women, to people who are studying literacy programs, to the court challenges program, to arts programs, museums, etc., there is a contract for which, according to reports I have seen--and I haven't seen the original contract--the final implementation was almost fourteen times what it was when it was awarded. To see then the mismanagement of that contract because people were off supposedly attending meetings but didn't attend meetings--and we don't have a report of that investigation of their trip. We don't have a report of the actual contract for the $24 million. I find this troubling, given that this contract was designed to save the procurement process money.
You have answered questions here on this, and I would like to use the remainder of my time to ask you about the broader procurement strategy of your government, because I believe procurement is obviously important for Canadian business, large and small. It can stimulate business. There were concerns expressed here by others that perhaps there was going to be a greater consolidation of the contracts so that the large enterprises would disproportionately benefit, and perhaps some of those contracts then might increasingly go to companies south of the border or offshore. There were concerns about job loss. And obviously these contracts can stimulate the economy. They can also stimulate investment in green technology. You had briefly mentioned that before.
Maybe you can just tell us about how the changes, the reforms, you want to make to procurement policy will actually work with a broader strategy, what it will mean for jobs in Canada, and what it will mean for environmental progress.