Two employees in the federal Auditor-General’s office have been fired for failing to disclose they had contracts with the federal government. A third case is under investigation.
The cases related to the two fired employees have been referred to law enforcement, said Natasha Leduc, a spokesperson for the office. Ms. Leduc said in an e-mail that none of the employees involved were auditors.
The office said it became aware of one case after being informed by Public Services and Procurement Canada that it was reviewing a contractor’s security status and had asked whether the person was still employed with the Auditor-General’s office.
Full story by deputy Ottawa bureau chief Bill Curry.
In Alberta, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said it’s clear the procurement and contract processes within the public service fall short of expectations.
“This is an unacceptable situation and there need to be changes on this. Government needs to make sure that everyone from the political level to the public-service level are responsible, transparent stewards of the public money,” Trudeau told a news conference in Calgary.
Also in Alberta
The Prime Minister also met Wednesday with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, whom Trudeau has been at odds with over climate change and trans children policies.
However, Trudeau described a productive discussion.
“I was pleased to talk with Premier Smith. We highlighted some of the challenges that we’re working on solving around child care, for example, where the billions of dollars in investments the federal government is making is starting to make a real difference in people’s lives,” he said.
Smith, at her own news conference, said she had a “constructive meeting” with Trudeau, but added there are several issues in which there is some distance between the two sides, such as the impact of federal carbon pricing and its cascading effects on inflation affordability.
The Alberta Premier is urging Trudeau to heed the growing calls from premiers to dump the planned hike to the consumer carbon charge on April 1.
