Evidence of meeting #108 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 contract.
A video is available from Parliament.
Partner, GC Strategies
I was not part of their contract. I was not working with them. They were completely siloed doing their work, and I was siloed doing my work. They were working—
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
However, you had conversations with them, maybe or maybe not, but after the fact.
Partner, GC Strategies
We never had conversations prior to the ArriveCAN contract awards. Did we speak—
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Sir, I have one more question, and this is, respectfully, going nowhere.
The Auditor General found that GC Strategies was involved in the development of a contract from the Government of Canada valued at $2.5 million for your firm, received in May 2022. Could you please tell us, sir, who you communicated with at the Government of Canada for the contract received in May 2022? We want the names. I would ask you to answer that question. I would ask the chair to put that question to you on behalf of the committee and insist on an answer and an answer right now.
Conservative
Partner, GC Strategies
I am, but again, I'm staying strong with what I've said before. This is being pushed by the committee, all these allegations against me and my firm, to the RCMP, and at this point, if there is an ongoing investigation, I'm not prepared to comment on it right now.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
On a point of order, what you think my motivations are for asking the question is not at all germane. I'd like the chair to put the question to you, and you have an obligation to answer it, whether you want to or not, because of the rules that apply to Parliament, to its committees and to witnesses who come before it.
Mr. Chair, could you put that question to him and insist on the answer?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
Mr. Firth, we would appreciate an answer. The fact that you've stated yourself that you, GC Strategies and your partner have not been contacted by the RCMP leads me to believe that perhaps they're not going down that path with you, so I think the committee and taxpayers would appreciate a response to Mr. Genuis.
Partner, GC Strategies
I appreciate the question there, Mr. Chair, but the truth is that what's being reported on Twitter as a result of some things that are said here in this committee and the fact that it was pushed by everyone or by most of the committee members and everybody who has come forth for this, to push all information to the RCMP.... I have to assume that actually is happening. Even PSPC and the Auditor General have said they've moved their information over there.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
However—and I'm sorry to interfere, Mr. Genuis, or intervene—you've stated yourself that they haven't started anything with GC Strategies. I'd hate for us to not be able to get any responses based on a supposition that they may one day.
I think it's a fair question. Would you please provide an answer?
Partner, GC Strategies
Would you mind if I just take two seconds with my lawyer, please?
Conservative
Conservative
Partner, GC Strategies
I'm sorry. Thank you.
Again, I really appreciate the opportunity, Mr. Chair, that you've laid out clearly, but at this point, we're still remaining with our stance that there could possibly be a pending RCMP investigation.
Conservative
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
I will advise you, as I'm sure you're aware, that you have parliamentary privilege, which would allow you the right to speak, but I understand. I'll let my colleagues who brought the question pursue it in a different way.
Now we have Mrs. Atwin for five minutes, and then we will take our second suspension.
Go ahead, Mrs. Atwin, please.
Liberal
Jenica Atwin Liberal Fredericton, NB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Firth, in my previous questions I asked about the government tracking your performance, and you mentioned that there were quarterly reports.
Have you previously been asked to present these to the committee?
Liberal
Liberal
Jenica Atwin Liberal Fredericton, NB
You also mentioned not being fully aware of what the allegations by Botler AI against you were.
According to their testimony, they're alleging issues around invoicing, delays in payments, deliverables for the project not reflecting the actual work they did, and the inflated work experience on the CV, which they assert are all against basic procurement rules.
I know you don't want to speak specifically to those allegations because there's potentially the pending investigation, but have you ever been the subject of a complaint by any other subcontractors you've worked with?
Liberal
Jenica Atwin Liberal Fredericton, NB
What do you say to those things I've outlined? Do you have a response to those?
Partner, GC Strategies
Just on the two that I can, on which I don't think there have been allegations, they were paid for all of the work they did on all the deliverables they delivered.
I think the reason they're claiming they weren't paid for the last bit was that they were actually fired, and what they delivered was not actually what was in the statement of work to be completed.
That's probably all I can say right now.