“The government will not say which companies help pay the staff who review major projects. This could cause conflicts of interest. I want the minister to name these companies.”

“Mr. Speaker, the Liberals promised to get projects built faster. Instead, they built an expensive office but will not tell Canadians which companies help pay its staff who may influence decisions about those companies’ projects. Yesterday, the Minister of Energy dismissed questions about potential corporate conflicts as “conspiracy theories”, but what is suspicious is the refusal to disclose which corporate interests pay government employees and which projects they assess. With both public and private financing involved, Canadians deserve transparency, not secrecy. If there is nothing to hide, why will the minister not just name the companies?”

“The government's major projects office advises on projects worth up to $200 billion. The government will not name the companies that help pay the office's staff. These staff could be making decisions about their own employers. I want the minister to release the names of the companies, the pay deals, and records showing when staff stepped aside to avoid conflicts.”

“Mr. Speaker, that answer is exactly why the Liberals should clear this up, because the public interest must be protected in an office that advises on projects potentially worth $200 billion. However, the Liberals will not name the companies that help pay MPO staff, so Canadians cannot tell whose interests come first in government decisions worth billions of dollars. “National interest” is not an excuse to hide private interests when staff may assess projects that involve their employers and competitors. Will the minister table the company names, salary arrangements and recusal records so Canadians can know exactly whose interests are protected?”