The director of a federal foundation mandated to fund “green” environmental research and technology has acknowledged that he voted to award $393,805 in grants to a Quebec company in which he had a direct interest.
“We had a situation where there was $20 million for emergency COVID support and a program was set up,” testified Guy Ouimet at the House of Commons Industry Committee. “We all declared conflicts of interest. Well, not everyone. Not all directors are in conflicts of interest all the time. I don’t want to give that impression.”
Under questioning by Conservative MP Michael Barrett, Mr. Ouimet acknowledged that he voted on two occasions to award pandemic relief grants to his Lithion associates in Montreal at taxpayers’ expense.
“This kind of insider dealing and corruption is very problematic for Canadians,” said Mr. Barrett.
Although Mr. Ouimet was appointed to his position under the Liberals, he testified he had no Liberal Party dealings and said “I am not here to talk about politics.” He also said all his business interests were divulged to Sustainable Development Technology Canada managers.
“Since my appointment to the board I have periodically declared all real, apparent, and potential conflicts,” he testified. “I have acted in good faith.”
Mr. Barrett asked Mr. Ouimet if he saw an issue with voting to give a company he had interest in “hundreds of thousands of dollars,” adding that there is “no way reasonable people would find these are reasonable actions.”
“We have a government appointee taking taxpayer dollars and then giving it to their own company they have an interest in because other people who are also implicated like the chair of the board have said, ‘You know, this is okay.’ To say this is an organization that has rigorous ethical standards that have been followed is absolutely egregious,” Mr. Barrett said.
On Sept. 26, cabinet suspended funding following whistleblower complaints of insider dealing, according to Blacklock’s.
