Public Works Minister Jean-Yves Duclos defended the government’s performance Thursday, claiming it is “doing really, really good compared to most other countries.” However, said Blacklock's Reporter, he avoided directly answering questions about whether the cabinet had met its promise to cut billions in fees paid to private consultants.“Yes, we’ve had challenges,” Duclos told the Commons government operations committee, emphasizing Canada’s relative standing globally.Conservative MP Kelly Block challenged Duclos’s optimism. “You’re saying Canadians have never had it so good? Is that what you’re saying?” she asked, pointing to criticisms of federal procurement practices.Duclos countered: “Canadians don’t want to hear that everything is broken as some people are saying. That would be inaccurate and insulting to most Canadians.”However, Procurement Ombudsman Alexander Jeglic painted a less rosy picture in testimony last month, describing Canada’s procurement system as “broken” and “kind of near the bottom tier.” Block pressed Duclos to address the Ombudsman’s assessment. “Do you agree with the Procurement Ombudsman?” she asked. Duclos responded by deferring to officials but did not directly address the claims.Efforts to curb outsourcing costs have come under scrutiny. While the 2023 budget pledged to reduce spending on consultants, Block cited data showing fees had risen from $21.6 billion to $25 billion this year. When asked for specifics on reductions, Duclos claimed a 15% decrease but did not provide a dollar figure, stating, “It depends.”“You don’t know the number,” Block concluded, accusing Duclos of evading key questions. She noted growing federal payroll costs — now $67.4 billion annually — and an expanding federal workforce, which includes over 10,000 executives earning six-figure salaries.Despite the government’s promises, including Treasury Board President Anita Anand’s 2023 commitment to “reduce wasteful spending,” records revealed that departments like Natural Resources Canada spent large sums — $669,500 in one case — on consultants for advice on reducing reliance on consultants.“Canadians deserve answers,” Block said. “But you’re doing us and Canadians a disservice when you ignore the questions we are asking.”
Public Works Minister Jean-Yves Duclos defended the government’s performance Thursday, claiming it is “doing really, really good compared to most other countries.” However, said Blacklock's Reporter, he avoided directly answering questions about whether the cabinet had met its promise to cut billions in fees paid to private consultants.“Yes, we’ve had challenges,” Duclos told the Commons government operations committee, emphasizing Canada’s relative standing globally.Conservative MP Kelly Block challenged Duclos’s optimism. “You’re saying Canadians have never had it so good? Is that what you’re saying?” she asked, pointing to criticisms of federal procurement practices.Duclos countered: “Canadians don’t want to hear that everything is broken as some people are saying. That would be inaccurate and insulting to most Canadians.”However, Procurement Ombudsman Alexander Jeglic painted a less rosy picture in testimony last month, describing Canada’s procurement system as “broken” and “kind of near the bottom tier.” Block pressed Duclos to address the Ombudsman’s assessment. “Do you agree with the Procurement Ombudsman?” she asked. Duclos responded by deferring to officials but did not directly address the claims.Efforts to curb outsourcing costs have come under scrutiny. While the 2023 budget pledged to reduce spending on consultants, Block cited data showing fees had risen from $21.6 billion to $25 billion this year. When asked for specifics on reductions, Duclos claimed a 15% decrease but did not provide a dollar figure, stating, “It depends.”“You don’t know the number,” Block concluded, accusing Duclos of evading key questions. She noted growing federal payroll costs — now $67.4 billion annually — and an expanding federal workforce, which includes over 10,000 executives earning six-figure salaries.Despite the government’s promises, including Treasury Board President Anita Anand’s 2023 commitment to “reduce wasteful spending,” records revealed that departments like Natural Resources Canada spent large sums — $669,500 in one case — on consultants for advice on reducing reliance on consultants.“Canadians deserve answers,” Block said. “But you’re doing us and Canadians a disservice when you ignore the questions we are asking.”
