Evidence of meeting #101 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was investigation.
A video is available from Parliament.
11:40 a.m.
Liberal
Charles Sousa Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON
You have since, of your own accord, provided the RCMP with an indication of that, and you've given them and released information to them. Have you had any discussions subsequent to that with the RCMP?
11:40 a.m.
Executive Director, Professional Integrity, Canada Border Services Agency
Yes, we have engaged with the RCMP throughout the investigation to provide them information, as per their lawful request.
11:40 a.m.
Liberal
11:40 a.m.
Executive Director, Professional Integrity, Canada Border Services Agency
That's correct.
11:40 a.m.
Executive Director, Professional Integrity, Canada Border Services Agency
There was no contract with Botler.
11:40 a.m.
Liberal
Charles Sousa Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON
Right.
Some here are claiming that maybe you're withholding information from us. Is that true?
11:40 a.m.
Executive Director, Professional Integrity, Canada Border Services Agency
No, not at all.
11:40 a.m.
Liberal
Charles Sousa Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON
The information that you have you've given to the RCMP, but they haven't conducted an outcome. They haven't determined any guilt. Is that right?
11:40 a.m.
Executive Director, Professional Integrity, Canada Border Services Agency
That's my understanding.
11:40 a.m.
Executive Director, Professional Integrity, Canada Border Services Agency
No, our investigation is ongoing.
11:40 a.m.
Liberal
Charles Sousa Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON
What is there that you can explain to us that would give us comfort that there's some wrongdoing? At this point you're investigating any possibility of that. Is that correct?
11:40 a.m.
Executive Director, Professional Integrity, Canada Border Services Agency
We're investigating the possibility of that, and there have been extensive disclosures to this committee pursuant to your production orders. You have a significant amount of evidence to look at as well.
11:40 a.m.
Liberal
Charles Sousa Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON
Right.
As you can tell, through these committee hearings we've had a lot of discussions not just around the activities of Botler but other possible allegations that could be made. Of course, the ombudsman came back with a number of recommendations. Are you aware of those recommendations?
11:40 a.m.
Executive Director, Professional Integrity, Canada Border Services Agency
I am.
11:40 a.m.
Liberal
Charles Sousa Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON
Did you participate or co-operate with the ombudsman during that procedure?
11:40 a.m.
Executive Director, Professional Integrity, Canada Border Services Agency
Yes. I have responsibility for security screening for the agency, so we provided information around the security screening questions that they had.
11:40 a.m.
Liberal
Charles Sousa Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON
There were practices that were explained, which I understand have been prevalent over decades, even under the previous government. Is that correct?
11:40 a.m.
Executive Director, Professional Integrity, Canada Border Services Agency
It is my understanding that some of the issues raised have been systemic in government for some time.
11:40 a.m.
Liberal
Charles Sousa Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON
I know that some members across have suggested that something has just happened, which is not the case, in terms of providing for.... Especially during the pandemic a lot of contracts were initiated, but then they've subsequently used their services to do other functions. Is that correct? I think they call them swaps, or bait and...whatever they're called.
11:40 a.m.
Executive Director, Professional Integrity, Canada Border Services Agency
It's “bait and switch” or something like that.
I can't speak to those details.
11:40 a.m.
Liberal
11:40 a.m.
Executive Director, Professional Integrity, Canada Border Services Agency
I haven't had that many procurement-related investigations, so, no, I have not.
11:40 a.m.
Liberal
Charles Sousa Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON
Do you foresee anything negative there? Is there something wrong that's happened?
Did the ombudsman say there was any wrongdoing or any misconduct?