Government Operations Committee on Nov. 2nd, 2010

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

Have you done business with a lobbyist or another person who might have put pressure on PWGSC to obtain a contract? I'm putting the same question to Ms. Gersovitz or Mr. Glouberman.

[Julia Gersovitz]

Absolutely not.

[Norman Glouberman]

Never.

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

Never, you either.

Do you know Minister Paradis?

[Julia Gersovitz]

Not until I went to the cocktail party. He walked around the room and he shook everybody's hands, so I met him at that time.

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

What about you, Mr. Glouberman?

[Norman Glouberman]

It's the same for me.

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

Were you close to Mr. Fortier?

[Julia Gersovitz]

I've never met Mr. Fortier.

[Norman Glouberman]

I've never met Mr. Fortier.

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

That's fine. I'll now hand over to my colleague.

[Marc Lemay, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

I'd like to know whether any pressure was put on you not to come and testify before this committee.

[Norman Glouberman]

No. There was no pressure at all to come or not to come.

[Marc Lemay, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Last week, you were to come and testify and it appears that you asked to do it in camera, but we did not grant that request—

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

Point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Yes, Mr. Warkentin.

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

I don't know that the member opposite is aware, but most of our planning sessions for this committee have been done in camera, and therefore, I don't believe there is any public information in regard to our planning for this committee.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

I think that is a legitimate point of order.

[Marc Lemay, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

I'm going to withdraw my question, Mr. Chairman.

You are professional architects. Do you currently have a lot of contracts with the federal government?

[Norman Glouberman]

The primary contract we have.... We are from two separate offices. I represent Le Groupe Arcop, and Julia is with Fournier, Gersovitz, Moss. We have one joint venture contract right now for the West Block.

In our office, we have two very minor contracts with National Defence Canada, not with Public Works.

[Marc Lemay, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

For how many years have you had the West Block renovation contract?

[Julia Gersovitz]

Since 1995.

[Marc Lemay, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

So since 1995.

In fact, if I understand correctly, you, as architects, are responsible for the renovation of the entire West Block.

[Julia Gersovitz]

That's correct.

[Marc Lemay, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Do you have subcontracts? Do you make any recommendations in that respect for these renovations?