Members of the House of Commons human resources committee seek Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) records to determine if a director recused herself under a conflict of interest code. Director Janice Abbott of Vancouver is CEO of a building society that received millions in federal aid, according to Blacklock's Reporter..“It would be difficult for me to comment specifically on that,” Paul Mason, senior vice-president of CMHC, testified at committee hearings. Mason agreed to submit minutes of board meetings regarding Director Abbott..Abbott is CEO of the Atira Women’s Resource Society of Vancouver that in the past two years received $1.6 million in federal subsidies including a $983,476 grant to “work towards institutional change in housing policies.” The Society also received $16.4 million in CMHC funding to build a 44-unit apartment building in Surrey, BC under a grant announced by Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland last April 14..Conservative MP Tracy Gray (Kelowna-Lake Country, BC) questioned conflict rules for board members at Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. “One of your board members is the CEO of an organization that was allocated funding from CMHC for a housing project,” said Gray. “Did this board member recuse herself from any decisions that may have led in any way to this funding?”.“Money went to a project by the organization she’s CEO of in Surrey, BC,” said Gray. “It’s a project that garnered media attention and was visited by many Liberal MPs including the Liberal Deputy Leader Chrystia Freeland.”.“The question is whether or not the board member would have removed herself during any discussions on the Rapid Housing Initiative that would have been discussed at the board level?” asked Gray. “That would be my understanding,” replied Vice-President Mason..“Can you table for this committee the minutes from all CMHC board meetings from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2022?” asked Gray. “I don’t think the board minutes are confidential,” replied Mason. “I apologize. This is a bit out of my area of expertise.”.The CMHC board has in the past been the target of allegations of conflict. The chief operating officer of one of Canada’s largest home builders Mattamy Homes in 2013 served on the board at the same time his company was in a tax dispute with the Canada Revenue Agency over GST payments on some 15,000 properties. “I don’t recall anything being brought to my attention,” then-CMHC Minister Jason Kenney said in an interview at the time..The Supreme Court in 2014 rejected Mattamy’s appeal of a tax ruling. CMHC said its executive “brought his experience as a chartered accountant” to the board.
