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.
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
Irek Kusmierczyk Liberal Windsor—Tecumseh, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Firth, in a lot of the conversations we've had on this issue in the last number of days, there's been some conflating of Botler AI and the ArriveCAN app work.
Again, can you state whether you engaged with Botler AI on any ArriveCAN work?
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
Irek Kusmierczyk Liberal Windsor—Tecumseh, ON
Okay.
You were working with the Botler AI app. Is that correct?
3:50 p.m.
Partner, GC Strategies
I was representing them—they were my client—and working with them not just on the Botler pilot but also by continually trying to get them new meetings and into different departments.
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
3:50 p.m.
Partner, GC Strategies
It's a partnership. We agreed, after many meetings and conversations, to go into a partnership whereby they identified me and wrote scripts for me as a partner representing them for business development for Government of Canada clients.
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
Irek Kusmierczyk Liberal Windsor—Tecumseh, ON
Is that a formal partnership? Is there an agreement of some sort? Is there a contract that goes into that partnership, or is it a handshake?
3:50 p.m.
Partner, GC Strategies
It was trust.
I worked for two years for no fee or retainer—actually, for nothing. The fact that this was.... There are emails back and forth, where I'm having scripts created by Botler that they'd like me to use when I'm introducing myself and...how the partnership is set up. There was my logo on presentations where they were billed. It clearly said, “in partnership with”.
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
Irek Kusmierczyk Liberal Windsor—Tecumseh, ON
Is it normal to enter into these kinds of partnerships? Usually, when I see businesses, there is a formal agreement that spells out exactly what the expectations are and exactly what the compensation is.
Was there ever such a document in this case?
3:50 p.m.
Partner, GC Strategies
It was built a lot on trust.
The reality is that it's hard to go into an agreement when, initially, you haven't set up a meeting. We just went off trust. We were partners, and it worked out from the perspective of understanding that they were represented. They got a pilot, and they got paid.
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
Irek Kusmierczyk Liberal Windsor—Tecumseh, ON
Why did the CBSA terminate the contract for Botler AI in December 2021?
3:50 p.m.
Partner, GC Strategies
I can't speculate. I'm sorry. I wasn't part of that decision-making.
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
Irek Kusmierczyk Liberal Windsor—Tecumseh, ON
Okay. You have no understanding of why that was terminated.
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
Irek Kusmierczyk Liberal Windsor—Tecumseh, ON
How many deliverables were expected of Botler AI under that project?
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
Irek Kusmierczyk Liberal Windsor—Tecumseh, ON
You mentioned something in your earlier testimony about the quality of work.
Can you speak to that a bit?
3:55 p.m.
Liberal
3:55 p.m.
Partner, GC Strategies
Yes.
The first two deliverables were up to standard, and CBSA approved them [Inaudible—Editor] and paid.
The other four were ones that came two months after they were asked to hand over everything that had been delivered up to that point. There was silence for those two months. Four deliverables were then sent in February. At that point, the CBSA couldn't read them, to start with. When they asked for a format they could read, it came back. They decided it was substandard and would not release payment.
3:55 p.m.
Liberal
Irek Kusmierczyk Liberal Windsor—Tecumseh, ON
To clarify, as well.... They got paid for the first two. Those were also deemed substandard work, and CBSA still—