Evidence of meeting #88 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 contract.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Conservative
Liberal
Irek Kusmierczyk Liberal Windsor—Tecumseh, ON
Mr. Chair, again, just allow the witness to respond to the questions. We're all interested in the response. Rapid-fire questions like these—
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
I still have the floor.
There are two issues. Yes, allow the minister to respond. However, the member has asked a very specific question. I think we're looking for a very specific answer.
He's offered you the time to answer a very specific question.
I'll turn the floor back to Mr. Genuis.
Go ahead, please.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Thank you, Chair.
I will repeat the question. I said it a few times, but I don't want there to be any confusion, Minister, about what information I'm looking for.
Who was responsible for the decision to use GC Strategies for the procurement of the ArriveCAN app? Who made that decision?
Liberal
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Do you know which person was responsible for that decision?
Liberal
Jean-Yves Duclos Liberal Québec, QC
You should ask the minister of CBSA. He would be very pleased to come to visit the committee.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Minister, I asked a similar question to your officials. Ms. Durigan told the committee the following. “For the initial ArriveCAN contract, it was CBSA that approached us with a procurement strategy for sole-sourcing. They presented GC Strategies to PSPC.”
Your officials told us they received a proposal from CBSA.
Could you explain to the committee who in your department made the decision to proceed, and who approached your department from CBSA?
Liberal
Jean-Yves Duclos Liberal Québec, QC
GC Strategies was selected by CBSA.
Now, I'll turn to DM Reza to provide the mechanics of how—
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Minister, who on your side made the decision? Who on their side brought it to you?
This is an extremely important matter because we have senior public servants at the CBSA accusing each other of lying about who is responsible. Cameron MacDonald and Minh Doan are accusing each other of lying because nobody wants to take responsibility for the decision. It seems you don't want to take responsibility for this either.
We would love to hear, at some point, from the then minister of CBSA at the time, but, could you tell us who were the individuals, in their department and in your department, who made that decision?
Liberal
Jean-Yves Duclos Liberal Québec, QC
The work of the members of this committee is very important. You are entitled to ask the right questions of the right people. I've already answered the question as to whether we selected GC Strategies. The answer was no.
If you want to know more about the contractual relationships or the financial relationships between CBSA and PSPC—
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Minister, I'd like to know who made the decision. Have you asked who made the decision?
Liberal
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Minister, have you asked who made the decision?
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Have you asked who made the decision?
Liberal
Jean-Yves Duclos Liberal Québec, QC
—GC Strategies was selected by CBSA.
If you'd like to ask CBSA who exactly made the decision within that department, that's a perfectly appropriate question. If you want to know the mechanics between PSPC and CBSA, there are great officials around the room who would be very happy to answer.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Minister, just to conclude, I've asked you a pretty basic question about who the individuals responsible for the decision are. You haven't answered as to who's responsible or whether you've asked who's responsible.
Your title is Minister of Public Services and Procurement, and you're telling us that you're not responsible for procurement and that you don't know who is. I'm left wondering what it is that you do as minister of procurement.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
That is our time.
Mr. Duclos, you're welcome to answer it, but we'll head over to Mr. Jowhari.
Liberal
Jean-Yves Duclos Liberal Québec, QC
I think I've answered the question many times, and I'll be pleased to answer it again if it comes back later.