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.
Liberal
Jenica Atwin Liberal Fredericton, NB
In general, have you learned anything from this experience? Was there anything you would do differently in order to not end up before us here today?
Partner, GC Strategies
Yes. I would probably, at this point, work directly only with the federal government and eliminate the middlemen, essentially.
Liberal
Jenica Atwin Liberal Fredericton, NB
Mr. Johns asked you a question before his time was cut off in terms of anything else you'd like to tell us, or if there's something we need to know or any points of clarification. The cottage or chalet thing is raising a bit of concern for me. Is there anything else you'd like to add to the record right now, for our knowledge?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
Thanks, Ms. Atwin.
Ms. Vignola, you have two and a half minutes, please.
Bloc
Julie Vignola Bloc Beauport—Limoilou, QC
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Firth, have you ever suggested to a subcontractor that they would receive a certain amount of money from another contract that had not yet been awarded?
Partner, GC Strategies
I'm sorry. Can you clarify that question? I don't think I understood the question.
Bloc
Julie Vignola Bloc Beauport—Limoilou, QC
Suppose one of your subcontractors worked on Project A for a government department. Have you ever told the subcontractor that they would earn an extra amount for Project B, which the subcontractor did not work on?
Have you ever done that?
Partner, GC Strategies
We only ever invoice the federal government for work completed, that's been signed off by a federal government employee.
Bloc
Julie Vignola Bloc Beauport—Limoilou, QC
So you never made any promises of any kind to anyone? Is that correct?
Partner, GC Strategies
Again, we only invoice for work completed and signed off by the federal government.
Bloc
Julie Vignola Bloc Beauport—Limoilou, QC
I'm not asking what you billed. I'm asking you what you promised.
Partner, GC Strategies
I'm sorry. I have no recollection of ever having these conversations.
Bloc
Julie Vignola Bloc Beauport—Limoilou, QC
Earlier, my colleague asked you if you received any money from the contract with Dalian Enterprises and Coradix Technology Consulting. You stated that you hadn't received any money for the two years of work done for Botler AI.
However, the question was whether you got a commission from Dalian and Coradix for the work done for them.
Partner, GC Strategies
No. I did not receive any money from Dalian or Coradix.
Julie Vignola Bloc Beauport—Limoilou, QC
So you were a subcontractor who didn't get paid.
Is that what we are to understand? You volunteered?
Partner, GC Strategies
My intentions were to collect a fee, but that didn't work out, so I did not make any money on this contract.
NDP
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
You made no money on this contract, but you emailed Ms. Dutt, and I'll read the quote. It says, “let it slide and look out to the next one to recover”.
Is that correct?
NDP
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
This is contract performance fraud. It is invoicing for work done on other projects.
Do you deny this written evidence, or are you saying this means something else?
Partner, GC Strategies
I'm saying it means something else.
The truth is, it means that in sales you win some and you lose some. I was continuing to represent Botler in the partnership. Even when I would make zero dollars, I was still trying to get them sales. This was nothing to do with making it up on the next one; it is just understanding that hopefully there will be a next one, and I'll make the 15%...the commission I would on that one. This is not paying for CBSA's commission and missing out on the next one.... That was never, ever the interpretation.
NDP
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
Okay.
It wasn't just fake numbers. You made up [Inaudible—Editor] for Mr. Morv's experience. The company doesn't even exist.
Do you agree with that?
Partner, GC Strategies
Yes. The mistake there was it should have been project one instead of his name. Again, it doesn't matter whether it's the bullet points.... I was making it compliant. The same process happens whether it's adding.... They gave meetings to senior executives. They provided JAD sessions. The bullet points were in there. That's when you do the back-and-forth. If it looks like it's too much of a stretch, you just don't do it—