Parks Canada on Wednesday rescinded a purchasing program with Amazon, with the agency conceding it “missed the mark” after the prime minister insisted Canadians buy Canadian products.
The new directive came a day after management issued a staff email excitedly announcing the initiative despite cabinet’s appeal to have all Canadians buy local, per Blacklock's Reporter.
“Parks Canada recognizes the email that went out yesterday regarding the Amazon Business program for procurement misses the mark,” the agency said in a statement.
“Its timing and substance was not sensitive to the current dynamics and does not meet the public’s expectations.”
“Parks is rescinding the directive effective immediately and is notifying employees of this decision,” said the agency. Management promised “continued support of Canadian owned businesses.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last Saturday said all citizens including federal managers must buy Canadian goods to promote domestic suppliers amid an ongoing tariff dispute with the United States.
“Stand up for Canada,” said Trudeau.
“In this moment we must pull together because we love this country.”
Within 48 hours Parks Canada boasted of its new program with Seattle-based Amazon.
“We are excited to announce the upcoming launch of a new purchasing program between Parks Canada and Amazon Business,” Tamara McNulty, senior procurement director with Parks Canada, wrote employees.
“This program will allow users to purchase low dollar value goods via Amazon Business that are not available under other procurement tools.”
“Benefits include Amazon Business Prime included for Parks Canada, access to millions of additional products available only to business customers and business-specific pricing,” wrote McNulty. She did not reply to Blacklock’s questions.
Parks Canada yesterday boasted of its track record in buying Canadian.
“Parks Canada is a proud supporter of Canadian businesses and Canadian made product,” it said.
However the agency in 2015 was cited for contracting Bangladeshi garment factories for its shirts, jackets and uniforms. A parliamentary review of offshore suppliers followed the Rana Plaza disaster, the 2013 collapse of a clothing factory in Bangladesh that killed 1,138 workers.
“Ethics cost money,” Liberal MP John McKay, sponsor of a bill to ban sweatshop imports, said at the time.
“It’s not that complicated.”
Cabinet’s latest appeal to have Canadians bypass foreign goods follows a 2021 outcry when MPs and senators discovered federal contractors were distributing China-made pandemic masks on Parliament Hill though Canadian masks were available.
The Commons unanimously passed a Bloc Québécois motion mandating that “masks distributed on Parliament Hill and in various federal departments and agencies come from domestic businesses that produce this type of personal protective equipment.”
“We need to set an example,” Bloc MP Julie Vignola, sponsor of the motion, said at the time.
“We are using foreign masks that are not made here at home.”
