My question is also for the government leader in the Senate. I recently received a delayed answer to a question I posed in March regarding the contracts given to Accenture to develop and run the Canada Emergency Business Account, or CEBA, loans program for small businesses. While The Globe and Mail reported the cost had been $143 million, the delayed answer confirmed the cost was actually over $208 million. This was never proactively disclosed to taxpayers. The answer states that Export Development Canada, or EDC, made the decision to contract out this program and to negotiate with Accenture.

Leader, how did members of the Trudeau cabinet learn that Accenture was administering the CEBA program? Did they know the truth from the start, or did they learn it through the media? Could you make inquiries and tell us what date the Minister of International Trade and the Minister of Finance, as well as their offices, became aware of Accenture’s involvement?

The delayed answer I received indicates that $208 million will not be the final amount that Canadian taxpayers will provide Accenture to administer the CEBA program. The answer states:

Given Accenture’s role in CEBA to provide ongoing technology services, EDC expects a Maintenance and Support contract to be negotiated to support ongoing collection activities.

Leader, how much more money does the Trudeau government estimate Accenture will receive for the CEBA loans collection? Do you commit to being transparent with Parliament and taxpayers about these future costs? As well, could you tell us why Export Development Canada chose Accenture in the first place, and why the contracts were sole sourced?