Government Operations Committee on Oct. 31st, 2023

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Isn't that part of the value-add that you're telling us Canadians received for the $4.3 million? Isn't that what we paid you for?

[Colin Wood]

I think the value-add was what CBSA was trying to accomplish with bringing Botler AI in to help them build an AI technology pilot.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

So if Botler built it, and CBSA used it, and your job was to make sure that everyone was qualified for the work, delivered the work, and were security cleared to do the work, did you make sure all those things were done?

[Colin Wood]

The consultants that we provide through our task authorizations are under the direct supervision and control of Government of Canada employees. We do not get involved in scoping the work and providing any of the deliverables in the task authorization or the list of responsibilities for these consultants. That is—

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Sir, with all due respect, we know that the information with respect to the CVs for Botler was fraudulent, that fraud occurred, and on your letterhead you passed it on to the government. You were serving as this middleman, a very expensive $4.3-million clearing house, for this work.

So you cashed your cheque, and in exchange, Canadians didn't get the value that they should have. The billing that was done was based on fraudulent information. Who is responsible for that? How is it you're able to continue to do business with the Government of Canada when in fact we know that the billings...that this work was predicated on fraud?

It's incredibly concerning. It would be very helpful for this committee to have a list of all the subcontractors you do business with, because this is a very grey area. We don't know who those people are. Would you be willing to provide a list of all your subcontractors for Government of Canada contracts to this committee?

[Colin Wood]

Botler AI was not part of ArriveCAN—

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Sir, my question is—

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

We are—

[Colin Wood]

—or the $4.3 million.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Sir, will you provide the list of your subcontractors to the committee?

[Colin Wood]

For what purpose, Chair?

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

It's a request from one of our members. It's a simple yes or no, Mr. Wood.

I apologize, but I can't add context to it.

[Colin Wood]

Mr. Chair, that's on what contract, what project?

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Could you be more specific, Mr. Barrett? Then we have to move on.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

I think that it would be important for the Standing Committee of Government Operations of the House of Commons to know everyone that you're using as a subcontractor, because there was fraud in this contract. Canadians should know who your subs are, because this is essential for integrity. Our role here is to provide that to Canadians.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Be brief, Mr. Barrett, please.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

We're looking for the list of your subcontractors so that we can find out if all of your representations to the government are true.

[Colin Wood]

Mr. Chair, to the member, we have 15,000 consultants in our database right now, and 475 of them are doing work in the federal government right now.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Are you sure they're all who they say they are?

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

We're going to have to move on, Mr. Barrett, I'm sorry.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Maybe a point of order—

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Be brief, Mr. Genuis, then we're going to move on, please.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Is there agreement that the committee orders the production of that information?

The Liberals are saying no.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

We're going to move on.

Mr. Kusmierczyk, you have the floor.

[Irek Kusmierczyk, Liberal, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

As we move into November, Mr. Yeo, I want to say thank you for your service in our armed forces. Thank you very much, Mr. Yeo, for that.

This is a question for both of you. Roughly what percentage of your annual revenue is federal contracts?