QUESTION PERIOD — Indigenous Services
Indigenous Businesses
June 19, 2024
Leader, when the renewal of the Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business was announced in 2021, First Nations representatives identified numerous flaws in the system and alerted the government. However, in typical fashion, the government turned a deaf ear. As a result, the program has become a veritable sieve. Anyone can get funding for anything.
According to The Globe and Mail, the number of businesses listed on the Indigenous Business Directory has jumped by 40% since the new strategy was announced. The value of contracts awarded now totals $862 million, but who is getting those contracts? Front companies that turn around and pass the contracts off to others.
In light of yet another grand failure, what will the government do to fix the program?
Thank you for the question, senator.
Based on the information I have, the Indigenous procurement office maintains a list of organizations. In order to register for the directory, organizations must demonstrate that they are majority‑controlled and majority-operated by the Indigenous community.
I also understand that audits are under way at the request of the Minister of Public Services and Procurement. If there are any shortcomings in the system, they will be corrected.
Leader, the law is being circumvented through the loopholes that were identified, namely front companies. We don’t need an audit. We need an RCMP investigation.
Will you turn the files over to the RCMP?
Once again, first, as Mr. Duheme mentioned, the government does not comment on RCMP investigations, and second, even though a plethora of investigations have been announced by the RCMP, these investigations are ongoing and no conclusions can be drawn at this point.
