National Research Council vows ethical reforms following green fund scandalBlacklock's Reporter says Davies made these remarks during testimony before the Commons public accounts committee, following the federal government's decision to dissolve SDTC and transfer its responsibilities to the NRC.“We are committed to running this program to the highest standard moving forward,” Davies assured the committee. He emphasized that the NRC would rigorously scrutinize all activities and mandate full disclosure to prevent any conflicts of interest.The government disbanded SDTC on June 4, just hours after the audit revealed significant ethical breaches, including instances where directors approved payments to companies in which they had a financial stake. Among the most notable was former chair Annette Verschuren, who was found to have voted $217,661 in subsidies to her own struggling Toronto green technology firm, NRStor.During the committee hearing, Bloc Québécois MP Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné questioned Davies on how the NRC would prevent similar ethical lapses. “It obviously weighs on us that we have to do this very well, do a solid job,” Davies responded, acknowledging the challenges ahead.However, Conservative MP Larry Brock expressed deep skepticism, reflecting broader public distrust. “Millions of Canadians are skeptical when they hear senior civil servants uttering words like, ‘trust us, we’re going to restore confidence,’” Brock remarked, adding that the resignation of SDTC's entire board of directors, including Verschuren, had shattered public confidence in the government's ability to manage taxpayer funds ethically.Auditor General Karen Hogan, in her report on SDTC, underscored the gravity of the situation, noting that the agency’s failures had severely undermined its objectivity and impartiality. Parliament originally created SDTC in 2001 to subsidize green technology initiatives, with $856 million distributed from 2017 to 2023 alone.As the NRC takes over SDTC's mandate, Davies acknowledged that the council must now work diligently to restore public trust and ensure that similar ethical breaches do not occur in the future.
