Information & Ethics committee  I would apply the same rules that we had before the pandemic, and whichever do not apply, document the situation, discuss it, ask advice. It could be from external advisers or internal advisers. Ask advice. Ask, “If you were not to respect this guideline, would you be in breach of something?”

Information & Ethics committee  They are, if people are respecting the spirit of the law and not just sticking to the letter of the law. The ones who find the loopholes are the dangerous ones. They are the threat to the organization or the government. You need to make sure to identify those people and to say, “I understand what you're saying, but you're going against us, and we're not there for loopholes.”

Information & Ethics committee  It's really hard for me to say so, first of all because I don't have access to all the information and the facts that would support it. Unfortunately, the only things I see right now are from the media, so I don't think it would be fair for me to speculate.

Information & Ethics committee  Once again, it would be very hard to say. I think the security of people has been put at stake and I think all the decisions that were made were probably for a good reason. The question is, was the process followed? It's all about the procurement process. Knowing whether it was followed or not is where the answer lies.

Information & Ethics committee  Well, I think those 16 questions are really there to give you a guideline. The thing is, if there are some of them, and you say.... As you pointed out, when there's only one option on the table, you need to ask yourself why there is only one option on the table and what was actually put out to support it, to document it.

Information & Ethics committee  Yes. I would think it is one of the responsibilities to know them, to make sure they understand them and to receive the training on them if they don't understand them correctly. As you pointed out, I think the Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of Commons was put in place in 2004, if I recall correctly, and the Conflict of Interest Act in 2007.

Information & Ethics committee  I think the major effect results from the fact that what people hear is from the media. Very often the media will report something in a way that will actually put it in a light that is favourable or otherwise. The problem is that people will make decisions based on what they see in the media.

Information & Ethics committee  I would say that the existing procurement system already has some very good internal controls in place and I wouldn't think that there would be extra work to be done, but the thing is that if, because of an emergency, we are bypassing some existing rules and controls that are already in place, at that time I'd agree to be extra cautious.

Information & Ethics committee  Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee. In times of global crisis, the worst and best human behaviours are noticeable. As a result of the declaration of a state of health emergency, the abolition of certain internal control procedures for awarding contracts makes the federal government vulnerable to fraud, corruption, embezzlement, undue influence and, most of all, conflict of interest.