Public Accounts Committee on April 16th, 2007

[Giuliano Zaccardelli]

Mr. Ewanovich was found through a professional search agency that brought together five candidates for, I believe, an RCMP board. I was not involved in any way. The committee did not ask me what I wanted or what my preferences were. I did not participate in the committee. I did not influence or direct the committee to choose anyone in particular. When the decision was made, I did not know Mr. Ewanovich, but I approved the recommendation.

[Marcel Lussier, Bloc, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

My question is: What was the normal term of a contract given by you? Was a normal contract for a term of three years?

[Giuliano Zaccardelli]

I'm not certain of that. The human resources people who usually engage outsiders or people in the force would look at that. They would look after the details, and they would obviously negotiate that with the person who is being hired.

[Marcel Lussier, Bloc, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

In the document in front of me, it says that three months before the end of the contract you renewed it for another year. Is it normal to renew a mandate three months before the end of a contract?

Mr. Ewanovich, do you have any comments?

[Jim Ewanovich]

My contract was for four years, and I left after three and a half years. My contract was not extended after three years. It was always a four-year contract.

[Marcel Lussier, Bloc, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

So the documents in front of me are wrong?

[Jim Ewanovich]

I have an engagement document and a letter of offer signed by Garry Loeppky. Is that the same document as you have?

[Marcel Lussier, Bloc, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

No.

[Jim Ewanovich]

The document I have is my actual letter of offer, which is for four years.

[Marcel Lussier, Bloc, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Zaccardelli, is the performance bonus payable every year?

[Giuliano Zaccardelli]

First of all, the government or the Treasury Board has to give the authority, if I understand it correctly. I'm not an expert in this area, so I have to qualify that.

It is not a bonus. You have to earn it. If the government authorizes the pay of a bonus or pay at risk to be paid to the public service—the EX categories—then we, the people in the organization, make a determination on who is to be paid, based on their performance, and what amount they will get. I make that final decision.

[Marcel Lussier, Bloc, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Crupi, could you table with us a document proving that you resigned your position?

[Dominic Crupi]

Yes.

[Marcel Lussier, Bloc, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

What is the date on this document?

[Dominic Crupi]

I couldn't tell you off the top of my head, but it was April or May 2005.

[Marcel Lussier, Bloc, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

How did Mr. Zaccardelli inform you that you were relieved of your duties on November 4, 2003, according to my documents? How were you notified?

[Dominic Crupi]

I don't know if the date is exact, because I seem to remember it having been later in November. I was asked to take administrative leave because they were looking at the issues that were being alleged.

[Le président, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

Thank you very much.

Mr. Fitzpatrick, for five minutes.

[Brian Fitzpatrick, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

I'll share my time with Mr. Lake. I just have a few questions that I wanted to catch before the witnesses are gone today.

This outsourcing and all the contracts that are going with the outsourcing are subject matters of much concern in themselves. It seems to me that we're back into passing checks between outfits that add little value to contracts. There's very little value. I'm sure this is what the Auditor General speaks to when she raises those issues, and we've heard these things before.

Mr. Crupi, did you have any direct dealings or personal dealings with Mr. Brazeau, who was involved with Consulting and Audit Canada?

[Dominic Crupi]

I knew Mr. Brazeau about 10 years ago when we worked in the same area, but not together. He resigned, and I had not seen him since. We were not friends or friendly or anything like that.

[Brian Fitzpatrick, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

Did you, Mr. Ewanovich?

[Jim Ewanovich]

No.

[Brian Fitzpatrick, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

Okay.

Another individual was in Abotech, which seemed to be in the middle of this cheque-passing game. There was a David Smith involved with that outfit. Did you have any direct dealings with or knowledge of that individual?

[Dominic Crupi]

No, sir.

[Brian Fitzpatrick, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

Those are the questions I had. I'll turn the rest of my time over to Mr. Lake.