QUESTION PERIOD — Indigenous Services
Indigenous Businesses
December 13, 2023
My question for the government leader concerns the procurement strategy for Indigenous businesses, which sets aside procurement opportunities for Indigenous businesses.
On Monday, it was reported that two IT firms that received millions of dollars for the ArriveCAN app — Coradix and Dalian — were never audited to ensure they complied with this program from which they have regularly benefited. The Trudeau government admits it only requested Indigenous Services Canada audits on these two firms after The Globe and Mail asked if they met the program’s requirements to support Indigenous entrepreneurs. So, leader, could you tell us why your government never checked to see if these firms complied with the terms of this program?
I do not have specific information about the various steps that may have been taken in the awarding of the contract, and I regret that I cannot answer that particular question. I do know that serious investigations are under way. Contracts have been suspended. The government is aware of the ongoing RCMP investigation. I have every confidence that all matters relevant to this particular file are being looked at and that the facts will be dealt with and analyzed when they’re fully available.
I’m glad that you are making that commitment to make public the results of —
That is not what I said.
Okay. I’m asking for you to make a commitment on the results of the audit. I think I’m hearing what I want to hear because it is important that we get to the bottom of what happened. The CEO of the National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association told The Globe and Mail that they have been hearing talking points and haven’t seen the reporting. They would like to see the results of the audit made public.
Let me simply say this: Programs to benefit and empower Indigenous businesses, organizations and individuals are fundamentally important. It is categorically wrong if those are exploited or taken advantage of and not for the benefit of those for whom the program was designed, and the government will take that very seriously.
