Procurement Ombudsman Alexander Jeglic said Canadian government departments are concealing records on contracting, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. .“There have been instances where we had to write to departments during the course of a review to remind them to provide documents we know exist,” said Jeglic in an annual report to Parliament. .“The ability to compel the production of documents necessary to conduct investigations and procurement reviews would increase both fairness and transparency.”.Jeglic identified numerous complaints of sweetheart contracting pertaining to COVID-19 pandemic relief. He said his office was “contacted by numerous stakeholders about the lack of transparency associated with the government’s efforts to procure items related to the COVID-19 pandemic.”.“The office received several complaints from suppliers about their inability to gain information about the results of solicitation processes and why their bid was unsuccessful,” he said. .Most complaints were about bias allegations. The report did not state exact incidents. .The House of Commons Health Committee documented multiple instances of sole-sourced contracts such as: .A $237.3 million purchase order for ventilators from Baylis Medical, which did not produce ventilators, but was run by former Liberal MP Frank Baylis; A $23.4 million grant and $118.6 million contract for masks by 3M Company after it spoke with former Liberal Research Bureau deputy director Kevin Bosch; An appeal by former Liberal organizer Elly Alboim, who emailed a cabinet aide requesting a contract for his son; A $149 million contract to Spartan Bioscience after meeting with the Prime Minister’s Office;A $150 million contract for SNC-Lavalin field hospitals no health authority asked for. .The House of Commons Ethics Committee declined to pursue an investigation of this contracting in December. .“It would just be stirring the pot,” said Liberal MP Greg Fergus. .“It doesn’t seem logical to waste our time.”.Blocking a potential contractor from bidding on a deal led to Parks Canada being fined in August. .READ MORE: Parks Canada fined for secretive contracting.“The complainant was unfairly prevented from submitting a bid after requesting to do so,” said Jeglic. .He did not name the company or the city where the contract was awarded.
