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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 282

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 14, 2024 02:00PM
  • Feb/14/24 2:25:59 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, like the Auditor General, Canadians have questions about whether the rules were followed and how such a company could get all these contracts. We expect the authorities to conduct the appropriate investigations to find out who exactly was involved, how these processes were uncovered and which rules were broken. It is very important to ensure that taxpayer money is invested the right way. In this situation, we all have important questions that we want answered.
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  • Feb/14/24 2:40:22 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, during the pandemic, Canadians' lives were at risk and we, quite rightly, as a government, reached out to use all the possible tools to keep Canadians safe. Indeed, the pandemic was less deadly and less harmful to our economy in Canada than it was in most, if not all, of our peer countries. At the same time, even as we were innovating and trying to do everything we could to keep Canadians safe, the rules needed to be followed. It is obvious that in this case the rules do not look like they were followed, and that is why there are investigations ongoing that need to get to the bottom of this.
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  • Feb/14/24 2:43:51 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, that is among the questions. There are direct follow-ups. Investigations are ongoing right now, both internal and external, to ensure that, as rules were evidently broken, there are consequences and there is accountability for this. There is no doubt that there are serious challenges around procurement and the public service that were evident at that time. We need to make sure that is fixed. We need to move forward in a way that takes better responsibility for the kinds of challenges we saw in this situation.
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  • Feb/14/24 2:44:38 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, during the pandemic we were there to invest, to protect Canadians and to keep their lives safe. Despite the objections and the conspiracy theories of the Conservative Party, we stepped up in many different ways. Even as we did, we expected and we continue to expect that the rules around procurement will be followed by the public service. It is obvious that this was not the case here. That is why there are ongoing investigations. There will be consequences, and there will be changes made to the public service's systems.
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  • Feb/14/24 2:45:55 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as I said, investigations are ongoing to find out exactly how this happened, who benefited and what the consequences will be. That is very important. At the same time, we must remember that everything we did at that time was to protect Canadians. Even during that terrible crisis, we expected the rules to be followed. Obviously, it appears that they were not followed. That is why investigations are ongoing to get to the bottom of this.
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  • Feb/14/24 2:46:40 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as I said, investigations are under way to find out exactly who is responsible, what rules were broken and what the consequences will be for the people involved.
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  • Feb/14/24 2:47:37 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, there are ongoing investigations, both internal and external, that are following up on exactly how this unacceptable situation happened. We received the Auditor General's report last week. We are following up and we have been following up on this for months already. We are going to continue to make sure that anyone who broke the rules faces consequences and that systems and structures surrounding the public service and procurement are changed. This is something we are taking very seriously, as we must.
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  • Feb/14/24 2:48:49 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, in answer to a previous question, I mentioned that internal processes and investigations began months ago to look into this contract, which was improperly awarded and for which the rules were not followed. This has been under way for several months and we have been taking this situation seriously. Although there was a pandemic and we had to react quickly and creatively, that does not excuse the fact that contracts were improperly awarded or the fact that the rules were not followed. That is why we are conducting investigations, and there will be consequences.
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  • Feb/14/24 2:49:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as a result of internal investigations, there have already been consequences for some of the people involved. I am not going to say anything else because there are processes and investigations under way. However, I can reassure people by telling them that, yes, we have taken concrete action and there have been consequences, but there will be even more consequences as the authorities involved continue their work.
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