Evidence of meeting #141 for Public Accounts in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was daly.
A video is available from Parliament.
Senior Director, Real Property Contracting Directorate, Department of Public Works and Government Services
I was not involved in any way in the ArriveCAN procurement or project.
Liberal
Valerie Bradford Liberal Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON
Okay. Again, even though you may not have been directly involved, I'm sure that, because this has been so public, you're probably a bit aware of the controversy. Would you consider the terms of the contracts that ended up being awarded to GC Strategies as restrictive?
Director General, Professional Services Transformative Solutions Sector (PSTSS), Department of Public Works and Government Services
What do you mean by “restrictive”?
September 25th, 2024 / 6:50 p.m.
Liberal
Valerie Bradford Liberal Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON
Do you think, maybe, that the terms were so restrictive that very few companies might have been eligible to respond?
Director General, Professional Services Transformative Solutions Sector (PSTSS), Department of Public Works and Government Services
I believe this is actually one of the findings of the Auditor General, that it was restrictive. Yes.
Senior Director, Real Property Contracting Directorate, Department of Public Works and Government Services
I'm not familiar enough with the terms of the contract to comment on that.
Liberal
Valerie Bradford Liberal Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON
You haven't reviewed them. Okay.
Do either of you know who at the PSPC made the decision to select GC Strategies?
Director General, Professional Services Transformative Solutions Sector (PSTSS), Department of Public Works and Government Services
No, I don't.
Senior Director, Real Property Contracting Directorate, Department of Public Works and Government Services
No, I don't.
Liberal
Valerie Bradford Liberal Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON
Now, I'm going to ask this question. I think I know the answer. Have either one of you been contacted by the RCMP regarding any of this?
Director General, Professional Services Transformative Solutions Sector (PSTSS), Department of Public Works and Government Services
No.
Senior Director, Real Property Contracting Directorate, Department of Public Works and Government Services
No, I have not.
Liberal
Valerie Bradford Liberal Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON
Okay.
There have been many meetings on this. We've had well over 20 here at this committee, and it's been before other committees as well. I'm not sure how closely you've been following it, but I suspect you might have. Is there anything that was said, during the many meetings and witness testimonies on this issue over the last several months, that you disagree with or would like to clarify?
Director General, Professional Services Transformative Solutions Sector (PSTSS), Department of Public Works and Government Services
I mean, I watched several of the committees, both OGGO and PACP. Definitely, we're here today to say that we take exception to the testimony that was made on August 7 by Ms. Daly—strong exception, in fact. That's about all I have to say on what was said in those committees.
Liberal
Valerie Bradford Liberal Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON
Did you review the testimony thoroughly? You weren't there, but did you review the transcripts and everything, and are you familiar with what she said?
Director General, Professional Services Transformative Solutions Sector (PSTSS), Department of Public Works and Government Services
Actually, I listened to it on the night of—
Director General, Professional Services Transformative Solutions Sector (PSTSS), Department of Public Works and Government Services
It was not actually live, but right after, because I was made aware that my name was mentioned on several occasions during that testimony. Hence, I watched the meeting and, essentially, it's from my recollection of what I watched on August 7 that I'm speaking here today.
Liberal
Valerie Bradford Liberal Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON
Mr. von Schoenberg, were you there with her, Ms. Daly, when she was testifying?
Senior Director, Real Property Contracting Directorate, Department of Public Works and Government Services
The only interaction I had was that December 14 meeting, when Lysane and I met with Ms. Daly to stress upon her the importance of her participation in the CBSA investigation.
Liberal
Valerie Bradford Liberal Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON
Okay. Are you familiar at all with her testimony? Have you heard it, seen the transcript or anything?
Senior Director, Real Property Contracting Directorate, Department of Public Works and Government Services
I'm familiar with her testimony at this committee. I watched that tape after I was made aware that my name had been raised.
Liberal
Valerie Bradford Liberal Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON
Do you have any concerns about her testimony? Did it—
Senior Director, Real Property Contracting Directorate, Department of Public Works and Government Services
Likewise to Ms. Bolduc's testimony, I take exception to her interpretation of the events. I don't know why she felt that way. I can reiterate that, at the meeting we had, there was nothing, I felt, that was said that was intended to intimidate her. If she took it as intimidation, that's extremely unfortunate.
Liberal
Valerie Bradford Liberal Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON
Given that she was a union member, if she were feeling so intimidated, pressured or treated unfairly, why did she not file a grievance? That is the normal course. She was represented with a union steward or someone at this interaction—was she not?