Access to Information records show the federal Privy Council Office required customized software to manage diversity, equity and inclusion criteria tied to Governor in Council appointments — a detail senior officials withheld for nearly a year.Blacklock's Reporter says documents describing a new Applicant Tracking System indicate outreach and recruitment strategies were designed to support gender parity and broader diversity goals, including linguistic capacity, regional representation and employment equity targets. More than 1,560 positions filled through selection processes were slated for inclusion in the tracking system.The records state electronic databases were necessary to handle the scale and complexity of the appointments process. Information gathered through the system would be used to screen and rank candidates, administer testing, schedule and conduct interviews, manage hiring steps, check references, complete paperwork and analyze trends.Blacklock’s Reporter sought the material last April 21 after the Privy Council issued notice of an 11-year contract to outside consultants to oversee appointments management. Officials declined to publicly release full contract details, describing the arrangement as “limited tendering” restricted to preferred contractors..In briefing materials, the Privy Council said it supports roughly 2,200 appointments on behalf of the prime minister, arguing appointees “have a direct impact on the lives of citizens and make a significant contribution to Canadian society.”The cost of the customized tracking software was not disclosed. The system was scheduled to be operational this winter and described as an automated solution to manage entire recruitment campaigns, from application intake to final assessment and trend analysis.The contract comes amid mounting criticism of federal procurement practices. At 2025 Senate national finance committee hearings, Procurement Ombudsman Alexander Jeglic warned that sole-sourced contracts and other practices have left Ottawa lagging in accountability.“I would like to take this opportunity to share my frustration regarding the current state of federal procurement,” Jeglic testified. “To put it plainly, the federal procurement system requires urgent reform.”Jeglic said conditions had not improved during his tenure and likened the system to a vehicle beyond repair. Federal departments collectively spend about $25 billion annually on consultants, he added, arguing Canada ranks near the bottom tier internationally when it comes to procurement oversight and value for taxpayers.
