Thank you.
Again, on the principle of ownership, we see government “ownership of gas, electric light, electric power, coalmines, oil wells, timber, pulp and paper, telephone, telegraph”—it's funny that it's still on the web page, but I guess maybe the Toronto Star has telegraph—“radio, television, railways, airlines and streetcars.” It seems funny that he calls for government ownership of telegraph, radio and television and not of papers themselves, but I digress.
I want to get into the answer that we got from the government on these issues. The question submitted on December 7, 2018 was No. 2131, as follows: “With regard to reports of a $355,950 sole-sourced contract to pay” the Toronto Star, “which was cancelled following a complaint to the Procurement Ombudsman”.... It's very interesting. There was only a complaint from a private company about this. It was never publicized anywhere that they were getting a sole source contract—only following a public complaint to the procurement ombudsman.
The question states:
(a) what was the original purpose of the contract; (b) which minister initially approved the contract; (c) does the government have enough employees to monitor parliamentary committees without hiring the Toronto Star; and (d) what is the total number of government employees whose job involved, in whole or in part, monitoring parliamentary committees?
This went to Finance Canada. Finance Canada promptly deferred it over to someone else.