Madam Chair, that is nonsense. Initially we were told it was because they did not have time. They said the tender process would have taken too long and the WE Charity could do it. We learned in committee that, in early April, the WE Charity sent an unsolicited proposal for a program and it was left at that.
On April 19, Rachel Wernick called Mr. Kielburger to ask him to transfer his proposal and make an offer on the student grant program. Three days later, Mr. Kielburger sent his proposal to Ottawa.
Why did the government not take the time to issue a call for tenders?
It might have taken three weeks, but at least it would have been done by the book, which would have avoided the perception that the government was paying $43 million in taxpayer money to friends of the Trudeau family.