A director appointed by the Liberal Party to a federal foundation has admitted to voting in favour of awarding $393,805 in grants to a company in Quebec where he had a direct financial interest.“We all declared conflicts of interest – well, not everyone,” Guy Ouimet testified at the Commons Industry committee.“We had a situation where there was $20 million for emergency COVID support and a program was set up,” testified Ouimet. “We all declared conflicts of interest – well, not everyone. Not all directors are in conflicts of interest all the time. I don’t want to give that impression.”According to Blacklock’s Reporter, Ouimet was appointed as a director of Sustainable Development Technology Canada in 2018, a federal foundation responsible for funding environmental research and technology. During this time, he concurrently served as a director of Lithion Recycling Incorporated in Montreal.During questioning by Conservative MP Michael Barrett (Leeds-Grenville, ON), Ouimet admitted that he had voted twice to grant pandemic relief funds to his associates at Lithion in Montreal.“This kind of insider dealing and corruption is very problematic for Canadians,” said Barrett.“Did you vote to give your own company taxpayer money?” asked Barrett.“Well, to begin with, I don’t have a company,” replied Ouimet.“Did you vote to give the company you have an interest in taxpayer money?” asked Barrett.“Well, if you understand how the COVID payments worked, the answer is yes…” replied Ouimet.“Were you in attendance at those meetings?” asked Barrett.“Yes,” replied Ouimet.“You didn’t leave the room for the decision on COVID payments, is that correct?” asked Barrett.“Yes,” replied Ouimet.“You voted in both cases to award the money to a company you have an interest in. Is that correct?” asked Barrett.“Yes,” replied Ouimet.Ouimet testified he had no Liberal Party dealings. “I am not here to talk about politics,” he said. Ouimet added all his business interests were divulged to Sustainable Development Technology Canada managers.“Since my appointment to the board, I have periodically declared all real, apparent and potential conflicts,” testified Ouimet. “I have acted in good faith.”Barrett was surprised by the testimony.“Do you see how it could be perceived as a problem you are there as a government appointee and then you vote to give a company you have an interest in hundreds of thousands of dollars?” asked Barrett. “Do you see how that’s a problem?”“There is no way reasonable people would find these are reasonable actions,” said Barrett. “It is unbelievable we have hundreds of thousands dollars being paid. We have a government appointee taking taxpayer dollars and then giving it to their own company they have an interest in because other people who are also implicated, like the chair of the board have said, ‘You know, this is okay.’ To say this is an organization that has rigorous ethical standards that have been followed is absolutely egregious.”Sustainable Development Technology's CEO resigned on November 10 and Chair Annett Verschuren resigned on November 20 after admitting that she had voted to grant $217,000 to her own financially struggling battery company NRStor Incorporated, located in Toronto.In 2001, Parliament established the foundation, but on September 26, the cabinet suspended its funding due to whistleblower complaints about insider dealing.
A director appointed by the Liberal Party to a federal foundation has admitted to voting in favour of awarding $393,805 in grants to a company in Quebec where he had a direct financial interest.“We all declared conflicts of interest – well, not everyone,” Guy Ouimet testified at the Commons Industry committee.“We had a situation where there was $20 million for emergency COVID support and a program was set up,” testified Ouimet. “We all declared conflicts of interest – well, not everyone. Not all directors are in conflicts of interest all the time. I don’t want to give that impression.”According to Blacklock’s Reporter, Ouimet was appointed as a director of Sustainable Development Technology Canada in 2018, a federal foundation responsible for funding environmental research and technology. During this time, he concurrently served as a director of Lithion Recycling Incorporated in Montreal.During questioning by Conservative MP Michael Barrett (Leeds-Grenville, ON), Ouimet admitted that he had voted twice to grant pandemic relief funds to his associates at Lithion in Montreal.“This kind of insider dealing and corruption is very problematic for Canadians,” said Barrett.“Did you vote to give your own company taxpayer money?” asked Barrett.“Well, to begin with, I don’t have a company,” replied Ouimet.“Did you vote to give the company you have an interest in taxpayer money?” asked Barrett.“Well, if you understand how the COVID payments worked, the answer is yes…” replied Ouimet.“Were you in attendance at those meetings?” asked Barrett.“Yes,” replied Ouimet.“You didn’t leave the room for the decision on COVID payments, is that correct?” asked Barrett.“Yes,” replied Ouimet.“You voted in both cases to award the money to a company you have an interest in. Is that correct?” asked Barrett.“Yes,” replied Ouimet.Ouimet testified he had no Liberal Party dealings. “I am not here to talk about politics,” he said. Ouimet added all his business interests were divulged to Sustainable Development Technology Canada managers.“Since my appointment to the board, I have periodically declared all real, apparent and potential conflicts,” testified Ouimet. “I have acted in good faith.”Barrett was surprised by the testimony.“Do you see how it could be perceived as a problem you are there as a government appointee and then you vote to give a company you have an interest in hundreds of thousands of dollars?” asked Barrett. “Do you see how that’s a problem?”“There is no way reasonable people would find these are reasonable actions,” said Barrett. “It is unbelievable we have hundreds of thousands dollars being paid. We have a government appointee taking taxpayer dollars and then giving it to their own company they have an interest in because other people who are also implicated, like the chair of the board have said, ‘You know, this is okay.’ To say this is an organization that has rigorous ethical standards that have been followed is absolutely egregious.”Sustainable Development Technology's CEO resigned on November 10 and Chair Annett Verschuren resigned on November 20 after admitting that she had voted to grant $217,000 to her own financially struggling battery company NRStor Incorporated, located in Toronto.In 2001, Parliament established the foundation, but on September 26, the cabinet suspended its funding due to whistleblower complaints about insider dealing.
