Navdeep Bains, former industry minister, testified before the Commons industry committee, claiming he had no recollection of being warned about appointing a Liberal Party donor with a conflict of interest as chair of a federal agency. This despite auditors reporting 186 conflicts of interest benefiting friends and associates.Bains' amnesia was met with skepticism by Conservative MP Rick Perkins, who remarked, "Boy, it's great to have amnesia, isn't it?" Bains claimed he couldn't recall specific appointments made before his departure from cabinet on January 12, 2021.Leah Lawrence, former CEO of Sustainable Development Technology Canada, had previously testified that Bains' office was repeatedly warned about the improper appointment of Liberal donor Annette Verschuren, who later voted to grant her company an additional $217,000. Verschuren resigned as chair in November and is under investigation by the Ethics Commissioner.Auditor General Karen Hogan expressed concern over the widespread conflicts of interest on the board, which approved $856 million in subsidies to corporations. Bains claimed he couldn't recall promoting conflicted Liberal donors, citing a "very open and fair and transparent process" for selecting appointees.Perkins challenged Bains' testimony, suggesting he was "obfuscating" and that there must be "something in the water" at the Department of Industry office, given the convenient amnesia of Bains and his former chief of staff, Gianluca Cairo.
