SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 301

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
April 17, 2024 02:00PM
Context: House Hansard - 301 - Apr/17/24
The Speaker
  • Apr/17/24 3:48:11 p.m.
  • Watch
The hon. member for New Westminster—Burnaby is rising on a point of order.
15 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mr. Peter Julian
  • Apr/17/24 3:48:16 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, I would appreciate the official opposition approaching this with some dignity. There is no NDP-Liberal government, so I expect he would ask his questions in the appropriate form, please.
32 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
The Speaker
  • Apr/17/24 3:48:32 p.m.
  • Watch
I thank the hon. member for New Westminster—Burnaby. Indeed, that is the case. I will ask the hon. member if he could reframe his question. It is a pertinent question as it is. The hon. member for Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes has the floor.
51 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mr. Michael Barrett
  • Apr/17/24 3:48:50 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, this company has done no work on the multi-million dollar contracts it has been given by the Liberal government, supported by the NDP. On the endorsements on the company's website, who was the Government of Canada chief information officer who provided an endorsement?
47 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mr. Kristian Firth
  • Apr/17/24 3:49:14 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, we gave that information over, and the name was Paul Girard.
13 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mr. Michael Barrett
  • Apr/17/24 3:49:23 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, are all of the subcontractors that GC Strategies uses Canadian companies?
13 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mr. Kristian Firth
  • Apr/17/24 3:49:31 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, can I get clarification? Is that period, or during the ArriveCAN application?
14 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mr. Michael Barrett
  • Apr/17/24 3:49:43 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, it is the subcontractors used on Government of Canada contracts.
12 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mr. Kristian Firth
  • Apr/17/24 3:49:49 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, every company that we represent and we work with for government contracts have valid Canadian security clearances.
19 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mr. Michael Barrett
  • Apr/17/24 3:50:00 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, that is not an answer to the question I asked. Does Mr. Firth have any knowledge of or involvement in the reviews for the ArriveCAN app on either the Apple store or the Google Play store being artificially amplified or paid for, any knowledge at all?
48 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mr. Kristian Firth
  • Apr/17/24 3:50:14 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, I know those services exist, but I have no knowledge of whether or not they were executed.
19 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mr. Michael Barrett
  • Apr/17/24 3:50:23 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, I will give the remainder of my time to the member for Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, please.
20 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mrs. Kelly Block (Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, CPC)
  • Apr/17/24 3:50:32 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, the procurement ombudsman found that 76% of resources named in bids on the ArriveCAN contracts did no work and were switched out for other companies. He termed this “bait and switch”, which is often used to sub out expensive subcontractors for cheaper ones, allowing the middlemen to take home more profit. Did Mr. Firth switch out any of his proposed resources on the ArriveCAN application contracts?
70 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mr. Kristian Firth (Partner)
  • Apr/17/24 3:51:01 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, we were part of the 24% that did not. Every resource we proposed that were called out for task authorizations were given to the Government of Canada.
29 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mrs. Kelly Block
  • Apr/17/24 3:51:13 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, through you, has Mr. Firth ever engaged in bait and switch in any of his contracts with the Government of Canada?
23 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mr. Kristian Firth
  • Apr/17/24 3:51:25 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, we were asked to replace resources all the time depending on whether there were discrepancies with their experience, whether they were not working very well, or whether or not they needed to move on to another project. They are contractors, so we replace resources frequently under the guidance of the client.
53 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mrs. Kelly Block
  • Apr/17/24 3:51:59 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General found in her ArriveCAN report that Mr. Firth sat at the table with public servants to draft the requirements for a contract worth $25 million that he was later awarded and, thereby, was setting the price. Through you, what are the names of those public servants?
51 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mr. Kristian Firth
  • Apr/17/24 3:52:21 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, that name was provided in the questions, and the government official's name was Diane Daly.
18 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mrs. Kelly Block
  • Apr/17/24 3:52:36 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, that is in direct contradiction to the name that was submitted by Mr. Firth as a direct answer to this question to me at a committee last month. Why is the answer changing today?
36 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mr. Kristian Firth
  • Apr/17/24 3:52:53 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, the question posed to me was who did I speak with in May of 2022, prior to the contract award, and that was the procurement lady, which was the name I gave. Subsequently, there was a question by the member for Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan that was posed very similar to the hon. member's, which was who was I engaged with at CBSA when discussing suggestions, and that was Diane Daly.
75 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border