Thank you, Mr. Chair.
We are here today to get to the bottom of what is probably the biggest financial scandal in Canadian government history. A contract for work that was supposed to cost just $80,000 led to a spending spree of nearly $60 million—750 times over-budget. That is unacceptable. Canadians need answers for this shameful financial fiasco that they are on the hook for and will be for a long time to come.
As we all know, the GC Strategies representative had to be threatened with arrest in order to come before the committee today. A person refuses to appear when they don't have a clear conscience. Sorry, but the representative has to appear before the committee. In fact, this is not Mr. Firth's first time before the committee. He has been here twice before.
First of all, Mr. Firth, did you lie during your previous appearances before the committee? Yes or no?