Information & Ethics committee  No, because senior officials said that they had dealt with the organization before, that there was a track record. The content of the contribution mechanism is specific enough to determine that expenditures, for instance, are well managed. This kind of due diligence also assesses

Information & Ethics committee  I’m afraid I don’t know the details of that. The department had worked with the charity on other occasions. They knew them well.

Information & Ethics committee  Yes, I learned that recently.

Information & Ethics committee  No.

Information & Ethics committee  I only know that in conversations between ESDC officials and WE Charity people, it was determined, partly for administrative reasons, that the WE Charity Foundation was the best vehicle.

Information & Ethics committee  I don't know the details, but I understand that there are—

Information & Ethics committee  I have no specific information on that.

Information & Ethics committee  All I can say, Chair, is that the contribution agreement in this case was typical of relationships between a government department and an entity. They are guided by principles of audit and of due diligence with respect to the interest of the Crown. This contribution agreement wil

Information & Ethics committee  It's a standard mechanism for working with a— third party to deliver a program. It was already determined at that point that the elements of the program required a third party, and therefore a contribution agreement would be required. The contribution agreement itself follows t

Information & Ethics committee  Yes. I wouldn't have said it personally. That was the opinion of senior officials at Employment and Social Development Canada. I didn't give that advice myself, but it was already the opinion of senior officials at ESDC at the time.

Information & Ethics committee  This is absolutely consistent with the duties of public servants to consider options and to respond to ministers' requests in light of established program development preferences. That's normal and that's what was done in this case. The advice and analysis of senior officials was

Information & Ethics committee  Well, the questions were specific, and the answers, I think, were taken as honest and true answers. It was a serious question and taken as such. Officials gave their best answers.

Information & Ethics committee  You mean for documentary evidence, for example?

Information & Ethics committee  No, he did not as I recall.

Information & Ethics committee  No.