(Ottawa) The Trudeau government will assess the circumstances of the awarding of contracts to the external firm McKinsey and whether there is a need to modify or change the rules, indicated the Prime Minister.
Trudeau said he asked Supply Minister Helena Jaczek and Treasury Board President Mona Fortier to follow up on the matter.
Last week, we learned that the Trudeau government had spent more than $84 million between March 2021 and November 2022 on contracts awarded to the consulting firm McKinsey.
According to documents provided in response to a written question from a Conservative MP – and seen by The Canadian Press – National Defense is one of the departments that has often used the firm’s services, having spent more than $18 million on seven contracts.
In addition to information reported by The Canadian Press, Radio-Canada published an article on the fact that Ottawa’s use of the consulting firm’s services has jumped since Justin Trudeau came to power.
” I asked [aux deux ministres] to follow up on that, to look carefully at the figures, to look at the circumstances that we learn in the news,” said Mr. Trudeau, Wednesday, in response to a question from a journalist during a point of view. press on the sidelines of the North American Leaders’ Summit.
He maintained that public servants have always “seeked expert advice to improve the delivery of services for Canadians”, while adding: “We will follow up to make sure, indeed, that it was done in the right way, and if one needs to modify or change the rules. »
The opposition parties in Ottawa want to force a parliamentary inquiry into the contracts awarded by the federal government to the firm McKinsey.
Conservative Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre made the announcement Tuesday while appearing before reporters on Parliament Hill.
Mr. Poilievre believes that the government must provide answers on this file, and with the support of the other opposition parties, he will table a motion for the Standing Committee on Government Operations to investigate.
Bloc leader Yves-François Blanchet also mentioned on Tuesday the possibility of an independent investigation if the Liberals refuse to provide the parliamentary committee with “the entirety of the unredacted contracts”.
The New Democratic Party (NDP), which is also calling for a parliamentary inquiry, has stressed that it is also concerned about the aspect of outsourcing.