Evidence of meeting #32 for Public Accounts in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was contract.
A recording is available from Parliament.
12:45 p.m.
Liberal
12:45 p.m.
Conservative
John Williams Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB
On a point of order, in the public accounts of Canada, Mr. Chairman, it's our responsibility to hold the government accountable. There are some allegations here that they didn't follow the guidelines in the letting of a particular contract. The information that we want is available from the Government of Canada.
I'm sure that Mr. Wright and Mr. Wouters would have been glad to provide that information had we asked them. I do not think it's appropriate for us to go down the road, as members of the public accounts committee holding the Government of Canada accountable, of starting to ask private citizens about their business relationships with their clients, albeit that the client is the Government of Canada.
If we want it, the government will supply it. That's where we go for the information.
12:45 p.m.
Liberal
Borys Wrzesnewskyj Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON
Thank you, Chair.
Mr. MacPhie, in your opening statement you described working alongside finance department officials, officials in the minister's office. You described the finance department officials as being very professional, knowledgeable, good to work with. Would you agree that there were no employees within the Department of Finance who had the required skills or expertise to write that speech and provide the communications for it, from your interactions?
12:45 p.m.
Conservative
John Williams Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB
On a point of order, Mr. Chairman, we can't allow this type of questioning of a private individual who has no knowledge, professional or otherwise, of the skill set within the Department of Finance.
We had Mr. Wright here today tell us of the 50 or 60 people in the communications department, but it is outside their responsibility to write political documents. Therefore, with this type of question, to ask a private individual what kind of skill set is inside the Government of Canada, when we already had two deputy ministers here this morning answering that very question and the answer is on the record, it is not for them to speak on behalf of the Government of Canada.
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Shawn Murphy
I'm inclined to agree with that point. The witness really would have no idea what capacity was inside the Department of Finance at this particular time.
I'd ask you to move on, Mr. Wrzesnewskyj.
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
Borys Wrzesnewskyj Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON
Thank you.
You had stated that 10% of your business was with the Department of Finance. Over the last year you've had over $300,000 of contracts with the finance department, all except one untendered. Is that correct, that in 2006 and 2007 the $300,000 of contracts with the finance department were only 10% of your total business?
12:50 p.m.
As an Individual
That was a rough estimate specifically with respect to some of the work we did with the Department of Finance. I don't have before me those exact figures.
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
Borys Wrzesnewskyj Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON
So that 10% we should also take under advisement--that may not accurately reflect the situation.
12:50 p.m.
As an Individual
With respect, I am nervous to provide for this committee too much detail with respect to the revenue of MacPhie & Company.
If I can answer the honourable member's question, where I hope you're going, MacPhie & Company serves firms in all kinds of industries. We have served clients in all three levels of government.
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
Borys Wrzesnewskyj Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON
That's taking us on a different track.
Mr. MacPhie, you said that Mr. Hourigan was the person who contacted you. Prior to signing this contract, did you at any point in time speak with Mr. Flaherty about this contract?
12:50 p.m.
As an Individual
At no point in time did I ever have specific discussions with Mr. Flaherty regarding the scope of work or the administrative—
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
Borys Wrzesnewskyj Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON
Not “specific”. Did you have discussions about this contract with Mr. Flaherty?
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
Charles Hubbard Liberal Miramichi, NB
Just to put this into perspective, Mr. MacPhie, we're not really concerned about your ability to do a good job. We're concerned more about the way the contract was let.
You said that when you arrived in Ottawa you worked on the budget speech. In other words, there are 50 or 60 people in the finance department who are drafting a budget, and you took it page by page and reviewed those pages and suggested some changes might be made. Is that correct?
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
Charles Hubbard Liberal Miramichi, NB
No, just a yes or a no. Page 10 came in today, or pages 10, 11, and 12; you reviewed those three pages and said “This word is not quite appropriate” or “This sense should be changed”--was that the task you had?
12:50 p.m.
Conservative
