Public Accounts Committee on April 3rd, 2024

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

This is a point of order on decorum. The witness has said time and time again that he does not know. There are ongoing investigations.

Why are we badgering a witness?

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

That is not a point of order, Chair.

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

That is absolutely a point of order, Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

Ms. Khalid, that is not a point—

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

This is about decorum.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

Ms. Khalid, Mr. Brock's question was simple: Why don't you know? That was his question. It seemed to be a valid question. You might not like how it's posed—

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

I'm sorry, Chair. I didn't know that you became an agent for the Conservatives.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

Wow.

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

I'm asking you to be fair.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

He's a Conservative MP.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

He is also the chair of this committee, which begs of him to be non-partisan in his deliberations on how we operate as a committee.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

No, it doesn't.

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

Yes, it does.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

Ms. Khalid, I'll point out that I've had my share of Conservative MPs who have whinged at some of the decisions I've made. When I get it from both sides, I find myself right where I should be—

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

Chair, I am quite tired of this unparliamentary behaviour.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

Ms. Khalid, Mr. Brock has the floor. His question was this: Why don't you know? That question is in order.

Mr. Brock, you have about 40 seconds left.

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

So you can ask for six minutes the same question—

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

Okay. Hold on.

Ms. Khalid, the more you talk, the more time Mr. Brock has, because you're running into his time to get questions going back and forth.

Mr. Brock, you have the floor for 40 seconds.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

I won't be silenced by Ms. Khalid, Mrs. Shanahan or anyone on the Liberal bench, because these are relevant questions that Canadians want an answer to.

I'll ask it again, sir, for the fifth time: Why do you not know who in particular allowed GC to write the terms of their own contract, given your position at the CBSA?

The question can go to Mr. Vleeming as well. Why do you not know?

[Jonathan Moor]

Mr. Hayes has helped me with the chronology. Mr. MacDonald left the CBSA on April 23, 2021, and the first competitive contract awarded to GC Strategies was on May 16, 2022.

It is still subject to review with the investigations. Once that has—

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

You mean the investigation run by Mr. Lafleur.

[Jonathan Moor]

The RCMP is also looking at this issue.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

Mr. Brock, your time is up. I will come back to your bench.

Ms. Khalid, you have the floor for five minutes.

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

Thank you very much, Chair.

To our witnesses, what steps have you taken to ensure that this does not happen again? I think Canadians and all members of Parliament realize that this should not have happened at all. Can you just outline for us what steps you've taken to make sure this does not happen again?