Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Good afternoon, members of the committee.
Thank you for inviting the Privy Council Office to return to provide you with further information and respond to your questions about the government's response to the motion for the production of documents concerning contracts awarded to McKinsey & Company.
My name is Matthew Shea, and I am the assistant secretary to the cabinet, ministerial services and corporate affairs at the Privy Council Office.
I would like to keep my opening remarks short to allow greater time for questions. I also delivered opening remarks when I last appeared before this committee, on June 5, 2023, which can be referenced.
The Privy Council Office understands and respects the role of Parliament in holding government to account and is committed to providing information to parliamentarians in a transparent manner. As has been the approach of successive governments, we must balance this commitment to transparency with the need to maintain the confidentiality of certain types of information.
We welcome opportunities to work with parliamentary committees to explore ways in which we can balance these two priorities and share information.
The Privy Council Office issued one sole-source, non-competitive contract to McKinsey in 2017, in the amount of $24,747, during the period for which the records were requested. The Privy Council Office submitted all its documents in both official languages on February 22, 2023. Of the 280 pages submitted, redactions remain in only two paragraphs that relate to cabinet confidence.
Mr. Chair, committee members, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you again today.
I look forward to answering your questions alongside my colleagues.