Evidence of meeting #83 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 work.
A video is available from Parliament.
4:25 p.m.
Partner, GC Strategies
I'm sorry. As I said to the honourable gentleman before, I do not have the exact numbers.
All of the information was given to you. There are all of my invoices to the federal government and all of my invoices to my subcontractors. All of the information has previously been provided.
4:25 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
Thank you, Mr. Firth.
Mr. Johns, you have two and a half minutes, please.
4:25 p.m.
NDP
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
He supplied you with a résumé that said he had seven years of experience. However, you submitted a resumé that said he had 12.
Is that correct?
4:25 p.m.
Partner, GC Strategies
I don't have the document in front of me. I'm sorry.
4:25 p.m.
NDP
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
Ms. Dutt said she had done a two-month summer internship at Deloitte. As I mentioned earlier, and you agreed, you submitted one that said she had 51 months of experience.
That's a total of just over seven years of experience that they had. My understanding is that for the task authorization, they needed 10 years, so you inflated it to meet the task authorization. Is that correct?
4:25 p.m.
Partner, GC Strategies
The wrong version was sent over. I made apologies for that. That was the wrong version.
4:25 p.m.
NDP
4:25 p.m.
Partner, GC Strategies
If it was finally approved.... There was back and forth.
You must appreciate, as well, that there are other categories on this contract. If they were deemed non-compliant or if, after the back and forth, they had not made that matrix, there were 14 or 15 other categories we could have used for that.
4:25 p.m.
NDP
4:25 p.m.
Partner, GC Strategies
Not at all. I'd say it was a mistake. I own it. It was a mistake.
4:25 p.m.
NDP
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
Had you ever done that before, in order to meet the threshold for a task authorization?
4:25 p.m.
NDP
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
I hope, if anybody watching is feeling a little uncomfortable right now and doing their due diligence by reviewing some of the résumés submitted in the past, that they're going to come forward to this committee. That's something I would like to hear.
Can you tell me who Mr. Vaughn Brennan is to you, and what relationship he has with you?
4:25 p.m.
Partner, GC Strategies
Mr. Vaughn Brennan was one of the consultants we placed on assignment in the last three or four years. Outside of that, we're not friends. It's a purely professional relationship. He is a consultant, and we find him work when he needs it.
4:25 p.m.
NDP
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
You heard there's dirt that Botler identified—that you had dirt on many public officials.
Is that true?
4:25 p.m.
Partner, GC Strategies
I never, ever said that, let alone continually boasted about it. I have no dirt on anybody.
Again, these are accusations made. Is that correct?
4:25 p.m.
Conservative
4:25 p.m.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Firth, you are without a doubt the least believable witness I have ever heard appear before a parliamentary committee.
You referred earlier to something you had said about your relationship with Mr. MacDonald. You said it was “an embellishment”.
Would you say you're someone who often engages in embellishment?
4:25 p.m.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Your claim about Mr. MacDonald was a rare instance of embellishment. Is that your testimony today?
