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Public Services and Procurement

During question period, members questioned the government about a roughly $12-million Canada Revenue Agency security contract awarded to Allied Universal, an American company, instead of the Commissionaires, a Canadian not-for-profit that employs veterans. Conservative members said the bids were less than one percent apart, noted the Prime Minister’s promise to favour Canadian companies on large contracts, and criticized the winning firm’s ties to ICE and its wages; one asked that the contract be returned to the Commissionaires. Government ministers, including the Minister of Public Services and Procurement and the Minister of Finance and National Revenue, said the contract was awarded through a fair, open and independent procurement process by CRA officials, that the winning firm is a Canadian-headquartered subsidiary, and that of the 60 security positions, 33 went to former commissionaires and 12 to veterans.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

14 statements

Michael Barrett

Conservative

Linked statement

“The government gave a $12-million security contract to an American company instead of a Canadian group that hires veterans. The bids were less than one percent apart. I want the government to explain how hiring veterans was considered in this decision.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the veterans minister talked about creating employment opportunities for veterans. This week we learned the Liberal government awarded a $12-million security contract for the CRA to an American firm with ties to ICE instead of a Canadian not-for-profit that employs veterans. The difference between the two bids was less than 1%. The Liberals have been in here this week talking about the procurement process, but we are looking for an answer to a very simple question: What part of this decision included the employment of veterans?

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Wayne Long

Liberal
“Our government supports veterans. We make sure they are hired first at the tax agency and across the public service. Security decisions at the tax agency are made by its own experts, not politicians.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 33 of 100

    None of this answer addressed the specific question that was asked.

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  • Government answer in Question Period

    Respect 91 of 100

    This statement targeted a person rather than their actions or views: “the member knows better.”.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the member knows better. Let us be clear. This government will always stand with veterans. That is why veterans are prioritized when it comes to hiring at the CRA and across the public service. When it comes to operational security matters at the CRA, they are handled independently by the experts at the agency, not politicians. We will always stand with veterans.

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Michael Barrett

Conservative
“The government should prioritize hiring Canadian veterans and buying from Canadian companies. Instead, they gave a contract to a controversial American company. Why did they not hire veterans or buy Canadian?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, for days the Liberals have been leaning on this claim that it is an independent procurement process while ignoring their responsibility to have a framework in place that prioritizes the employment of veterans and buying Canadian. That is what they have been talking about, a buy Canadian strategy. Instead, they picked a U.S.-owned company with ties to Donald Trump’s ICE and in the headlines for all the wrong reasons instead of prioritizing employing Canadian veterans. Why did they not hire veterans or buy Canadian?

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Wayne Long

Liberal
“We always support jobs for veterans. The tax agency ran an independent process and gave this contract to a Canadian company with over 10,000 workers. The contract was for about 60 workers, and 33 have been rehired, including 12 veterans.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 47 of 100

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, we have always supported and will always support veterans, including with respect to employment opportunities. The process the CRA undertook was independent, which resulted in the contract going to a Canadian subsidiary with over 10,000 workers. Let us talk facts. This contract was about for 60 employees, of whom 33 have been rehired, including 12 veterans.

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John Brassard

Conservative
“The Prime Minister promised Canadian companies would get first choice on big government contracts. Instead, the government gave a large tax agency security contract to an American company by less than one percent. It should have gone to the Commissionaires, a Canadian group that hires veterans. Why is the Prime Minister breaking his own rule?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised that Canadian companies would receive preferential treatment on contracts worth more than $5 million. After being outbid by less than 1%, a CRA security contract was awarded to U.S.-based Allied security, a company with ties to ICE’s mass deportation efforts in the United States, instead of the Commissionaires, a Canadian not-for-profit that employs thousands of veterans and RCMP officers. Why is the Prime Minister ignoring his own procurement policy by giving a major federal contract to an American-owned company instead of supporting a 100-year-old Canadian institution?

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Wayne Long

Liberal
“What the member said is not true. We gave out this contract through a fair, technical process without any political interference. Unlike the Conservatives in the past, we do not interfere. Also, 33 of the 60 workers were rehired, and 12 of them are veterans.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, that member knows better too. It is simply not true. The contract was awarded after a rigorous process that included technical criteria. As I mentioned, contracting is done free of political interference. Maybe on that side 12 years ago they had political interference. On this side, we do not do that. We are talking 60 employees. Thirty-three were rehired. Twelve of them are veterans.

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John Brassard

Conservative
“The government gave a 12-million-dollar security contract to an American company that pays low wages. The Commissionaires pays Canadian veterans and former RCMP officers good wages to do this work. Did the government ever consider Canadian workers, or did it just want to help its corporate friends?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, this was a $12-million security contract with the CRA that was awarded to an American-based company that refers to itself as America’s most patriotic company. It is also a company known for paying lower wages and benefits to its employees. For 100 years, the Commissionaires has employed thousands of veterans, RCMP officers and former members with good wages and benefits. Was supporting Canadian veterans and Canadian workers ever a consideration with this contract or was it always intended for the same corporate networks that keep benefiting from the Prime Minister?

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Jill McKnight

Liberal
“This contract was given out through a fair and open process. It went to an Ontario business that employs thousands of Canadians. Our government supports Canadian workers and businesses.”

  • A repeated line

    “We are going to build the strongest economy in the G7.”

    Said 15 times by 6 members since April 23.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, as my colleague has already spoken to, and as I spoke to yesterday, this was a contract awarded through the CRA following a fair and open procurement process. It selected a registered Canadian business headquartered in Ontario, which employs thousands of Canadians. Our government will always stand with Canadian workers and Canadian businesses, and we will build the strongest economy in the G7.

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Jeff Kibble

Conservative
“The government gave a $12-million contract to an American company instead of the Commissionaires, who employ Canadian veterans. The American company is even suing our government. I want the Prime Minister to give the contract back to the Commissionaires.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have again betrayed veterans, stripping the Commissionaires of a $12-million CRA contract only open to Canadian companies. It went to Allied Universal, an American company with just 1% of its workforce in Canada and tied to Donald Trump’s ICE deportations. The Liberals wrap themselves in the flag at election time, and then pay Americans at contract time. Here is the kicker: Allied Universal has been suing the government for $420 million. Will the Prime Minister give the contract back to the Commissionaires?

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Jill McKnight

Liberal
“This contract was given out through a fair and open process. Tax officials made the choice, not ministers. We will keep supporting Canadian workers and businesses.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 48 of 100

    None of this answer addressed the specific question that was asked.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague across the way for his service to Canada and for his advocacy on behalf of veterans. As we have stated, this was a fair and open procurement process. The decision was made by officials at CRA. We will continue to stand with Canadian workers and Canadian businesses.

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Pierre Paul-Hus

Conservative
“The government took a contract away from a Canadian group that hires veterans and gave it to an American company. That American company helps deport people for Donald Trump. Giving work to an American company instead of our own veterans is not putting Canada first.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, when people say “Canada first”, it has to mean something. This is a perfect example of what not to do. The government just took a contract away from the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires and gave it to an American company, Allied Universal. That company is the one involved in deporting people in connection with Donald Trump’s ICE operations. How is it a “Canada first” move to take a contract away from the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires, which employs Canadian veterans, and give it to an American company?

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François-Philippe Champagne

Liberal
“We always support job opportunities for veterans. This contract is for 60 security officers, and 33 are commissionaires while 12 are veterans. We also expect officials to follow the rule to buy Canadian.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 46 of 100

    None of this answer addressed the specific question that was asked.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, my colleague knows full well that, on this side of the House, we always support our veterans with job opportunities. In this case, my understanding is that this is a contract for 60 security officers. Of those 60 officers, 33 were commissionaires and 12 are former uniformed service members. We obviously expect all government officials to comply with the buy Canadian policy.

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Pierre Paul-Hus

Conservative
“The finance department took a contract away from Canadian veterans and gave it to an American company. Why did nobody in the government stop this and keep the work with Canadians?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the minister who just responded is the Minister of Finance and National Revenue, so his department was the one that took this contract away from our Canadian commissionaires and awarded it to an American company. Can the government please explain why no one put a stop to this and said that, instead of favouring an American firm, the work should remain with our veterans and a Canadian company?

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François-Philippe Champagne

Liberal
“The member is contradicting himself. The tax agency's contract hires 60 security guards. Of those, 33 used to be commissionaires and 12 are veterans. We always try to hire Canadian companies and buy Canadian.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 46 of 100

    None of this answer addressed the specific question that was asked.

    See full analysis
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, what my colleague is suggesting is somewhat contradictory. As I said, the contract awarded by the Canada Revenue Agency involves 60 security officers, 33 of whom are former commissionaires and 12 of whom are veterans who served this country in uniform. At every stage, we make every effort to give preference to Canadian companies and to ensure that all departments and agencies comply with and follow buy Canadian procurement practices.

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