I'll very carefully detail the misinformation.
Throughout Dr. Ellis's comments, and I think they were repeated by Dr. Kitchen.... Frankly, Dr. Kitchen was at this committee, so he should know better. At the time these contracts were let, the NDP was not in any kind of agreement with the government whatsoever. The NDP signed a confidence and supply agreement in March 2022, so when Dr. Ellis repeatedly states that “the NDP-Liberal coalition” was in any way responsible for losing $150 million, that is just simply false.
By the way, it's also not a “coalition”, but I'm prepared to let that go. I mean, you'd think that as parliamentarians they'd understand basic terms like what a coalition is and isn't, but I guess it makes better sound bites for Conservatives to say “NDP-Liberal coalition”, even though there isn't one. It's a confidence and supply agreement, and the NDP has no ability to influence government decisions or government spending in any way, other than within the confines of the confidence and supply agreement. Even then, it is a government decision, but the Conservatives know that—they just don't care.
I do think, though, that while it may suit their temporal political benefits for the moment, I just want them to be aware of the long-term damage they do to democracy in this country by spreading misinformation at this committee and confusing Canadians about the way politics works.
Back in 2021, when this government was letting these contracts, the NDP had zero to do with this government, and that needs to be clear. I would hope and ask my Conservative colleagues to at least have enough respect—