Mr. Speaker, I was talking about calls for tender—these are not necessarily competitive because there are a number of bizarre criteria in what they call the competition.
Could the government therefore explain to us how it is possible under the contracting-out guidelines to award $258,000 in various contracts to Stratégies et Communication, and to Groupe Cible, without any calls for tender? Is it because these two outfits are directed by a former Liberal candidate or for reasons of state? What is the competitive criterion in this case?