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Crucial Fact

  • His favourite word was quebeckers.

Last in Parliament April 2025, as Bloc MP for La Prairie (Québec)

Lost his last election, in 2025, with 35% of the vote.

Statements in the House

House of Commons April 17th, 2024

Mr. Speaker, if I may, I will draw a conclusion based on what we have heard today.

There is nothing unusual in having the Canada Border Services Agency do business with GC Strategies and give it $19 million, without ascertaining that GC Strategies' employees have any exceptional skills or the skills needed to obtain or disclose a contract.

We also have to consider it acceptable for public servants to receive gifts, although it is unclear whether this occurs before or after the contracts are awarded. We also have to accept that GC Strategies helps draft calls for tenders because the Canada Border Services Agency lacks the skill to identify its own needs and criteria when it comes to developing calls for tenders. That is very disturbing. We are being asked to believe that paying someone $84,000 for nothing is normal. The witness actually said that he had not done anything to earn this $84,000, but that it was normal.

Now people are wondering whose fault it is. Perhaps the Canada Border Services Agency is to blame. This may be the tip of the iceberg, but it is not normal. The Auditor General noted that it was the worst record-keeping she had ever seen. That is not normal. Now the Canada Border Services Agency is working on an import registration system, known as CARM. The House of Commons committee has found a number of irregularities. It is worrisome that this agency is continuing its work after what we have heard today.

Let us focus more on the Canada Border Services Agency and the government's responsibility to ensure that that agency is put under third-party management and that steps are taken to recover the taxpayer money that was spent for reasons we do not understand.

House of Commons April 17th, 2024

Mr. Speaker, there was mutual support between several people like the witness. Is that it?

House of Commons April 17th, 2024

Mr. Speaker, is it possible that when emoluments are given after a contract, they are given before another contract?

House of Commons April 17th, 2024

Mr. Speaker, to the witness, the public servant is the client.

Is that it?

House of Commons April 17th, 2024

Mr. Speaker, the witness mentioned earlier that he had picked up the tab at restaurants or things like that for public servants, but he did that after the contracts were awarded.

Is that true?

House of Commons April 17th, 2024

Mr. Speaker, earlier, the member for Terrebonne asked whether Mr. Firth has ever given any money, benefits in kind, gifts to public servants. The witness said that he had, but only after the contracts were awarded.

Is that accurate?

House of Commons April 17th, 2024

Mr. Speaker, the witness told us earlier that public servants received all kinds of compensation, but only after contracts were awarded. That is what he told us.

House of Commons April 17th, 2024

Mr. Speaker, so did he not say that he altered the résumés after the contracts were awarded?

House of Commons April 17th, 2024

Mr. Speaker, I am sure he said that. I was there, I heard him. I do not understand why he is claiming that he did not say it.

Earlier, a Conservative asked him if he had altered two résumés and he said yes, but after he was awarded contracts. Did I mishear that?

House of Commons April 17th, 2024

Mr. Speaker, the witness said earlier that he had altered two résumés, but only after contracts were awarded. Is that correct?