Treasury Board President Anita Anand faced scrutiny Thursday over social calls made by board employees to contractors, with questions raised about the propriety of these interactions amidst contracting irregularities, according to Blacklock's Reporter. Anand, describing herself as "an extremely thorough and systematic minister," maintained that overseeing the day-to-day work of employees fell outside her purview.During her testimony before the Commons public accounts committee, Anand admitted she was unaware of the content of these social calls, emphasizing that she was not in her position at the time they occurred. Conservative MP Michael Barrett pressed Anand on accountability, suggesting that responsibility ultimately rested with her regardless of personnel changes within the department.The questioning intensified with revelations from contractor Kristian Firth of GC Strategies Inc., confirming social meetings with federal managers involved in overseeing contracts, including former chief information officer Paul Girard. GC Strategies received substantial government contracts, including a $19.1 million contract for work on ArriveCan, raising concerns about the nature of these interactions and their potential influence on contract decisions.Amidst allegations of irregularities in GC Strategies' contracts and a subsequent RCMP investigation, Conservative MP Garnett Genuis questioned the company's favoured status and its extensive relationship with the Trudeau government. Anand faced direct inquiries about ministerial responsibility in relation to ArriveCan, with MP Genuis pressing for accountability.In response, Anand stressed the importance of maintaining integrity in contracting processes, affirming her commitment to accountability and safeguarding taxpayer dollars. She pledged to seek restitution for any funds found to have been improperly paid out once the RCMP investigation concludes.
