Thank you.
This is my third time before the committee. I have been compelled to be here.
In the last month, virtually everything reported about my company in the media and stated about me and my company has been false.
I have submitted to the committee a complete list of all contracts we have been awarded from the government in our history. I have included the nominal value of the contract and, more importantly, the full amounts we have invoiced the government under those contracts. We have also included the total amount we have paid our subcontractors under those contracts. As you can see, the amounts paid to GC Strategies are not the astronomical amounts being claimed by some committee members.
Since my last appearance before you, this committee has summoned many departments and their representatives with whom we have had dealings. The committee informed each of these representatives that we were criminals, forgers and fraudulent. The committee said that if the departments did not terminate all our contracts and suspend our ability to obtain contracts, they were negligent and complicit in misusing taxpayer money.
The committee also strongly encouraged each department to refer these matters to the RCMP. As a result, and not surprisingly, each department complied, terminating our agreements and our ability to continue government work. In addition, they have confirmed that matters have been requested and referred to the RCMP for investigation. As a result, although I welcome an independent investigation, because it will exonerate me, the committee has not chosen to wait for the results of that investigation, so I will not be able to answer questions about the matters referred to the RCMP. I trust you'll understand.
GC Strategies has appeared before this committee twice, giving hours of testimony. We have also co-operated throughout the entire study and provided all documentation requested of us. We have been portrayed as reluctant witnesses by some committee members and the media. However, the truth is that we've always been accessible and willing to answer committee members' questions in writing. The committee has not once reached out for a response to a question. Instead, the committee has exercised the most extreme measures: We have had the full weight of the government come down on us, compelling us to be here by subpoena, while the committee knows full well that this is against medical advice, as outlined in the doctors' notes we have provided as part of the evidence package. I'm certain any medical professional would attest that the threat of arrest and detainment would cause undue stress.
Since our first publicized appearance, my business partner and I have received hundreds of threatening and abusive emails, all of which have been documented and shared. I would read these aloud, but to be frank, they are vile and not civil for any audience. The nature of these communications, threatening our lives and the lives of our families and children, has given rise to our reasonable request that future appearances not be televised. The chair, unilaterally and without justification, denied our request and is intent on isolating Mr. Anthony and me from each other and on broadcasting the meetings to the widest possible audience.
Over the past few months, we have had our home addresses and images of our homes published across the media. Journalists have turned up at our private property. Our family members have been confronted, and our young children have been approached and had their privacy violated by strangers who have taken photographs of them while they were in hockey changing rooms. Surely the members of this committee can agree that this isn't an acceptable outcome from this process. Because of these concerns, we have offered to appear in public but requested that such appearances not be televised. Our requests have been rejected; we've been separated, and we're being televised. We can only conclude that the televised nature of today's meeting aids in political goal scoring while we are simultaneously used as media fodder at the expense of our health and the safety of our families. This is neither fair nor reasonable.
I have shown up and will answer questions to the best of my ability, but I may require frequent breaks. I will answer questions for as long as I am able, but I cannot guarantee that I will be able to make it all the way through.
Thank you.
