Thank you.
Page 12 of the report outlines that there was no administrative oversight. Page 16 clearly outlines that there was sole-source contracting. Throughout, the report outlines that this was awarded to Accenture to the tune of $342 million. On page 19 of the report, you question whether there's any “value for money” in the way these programs were administered. On page 20, you outline how “EDC did not assess the reasonableness of contract[s]”. It did not verify invoices. On page 24, you talk about a lack of ministerial oversight. On page 18, you take the bold step of stating that a Crown corporation was in “a conflict of interest” over a program it administered on behalf of the Government of Canada. That's not stated every day by the Auditor General.
How did EDC get around these checks and balances? That's my first question.
My second question relates to the response on page 45, where EDC states, in contravention of your recommendation, that “EDC is responsible for providing oversight of the administrative expenses of the CEBA program.”
What recommendation would you give to this committee and Parliament if EDC does not follow its own rules and guidelines with respect to the conflict of interest laws of Canada?