Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I appreciate what Mr. Badawey is trying to do, as far as defending the CIB's record is concerned, and justifying its existence and the work it does. That's his prerogative, and it's perfectly legitimate.
I also appreciate what my Conservative colleague Ms. Lewis is trying to do, get to the bottom of the CIB's involvement in the Lake Erie connector project, which apparently cost $900,000, so nearly a million dollars in consulting fees before the project even got started.
Naturally, everyone is wondering how it is that so much money was spent on planning a project that never got off the ground in the end. Admittedly, $900,000 in consulting fees is a lot.
I also appreciate the desire to have the committee ask questions and request more detailed information on the matter.
I would've liked to see the contracts. I would've liked to examine the file and the expenses incurred to see whether the money was spent properly. It seems to me that we are skipping some steps and that people are trying to play politics. I realize that meeting in public, instead of in camera, is also motivated by the desire to play politics.
I will nevertheless try to be constructive. To that end, we need to ask for copies of the contracts and to meet with the people at the CIB who were in charge of the project. They need to come before the committee to explain how the money was spent and demonstrate that it was spent properly.
Of course, this situation doesn't sound great to ordinary folks. I think the motion before us could be reworked. The motion should really focus on getting results for our constituents, the taxpayers, instead of simply putting on a show.