David Smith, Jaguar Solutions, ASM Informatique, and Government Contracts
Here is a theory to explain what David Smith, Liberal MP for the riding of Pontiac, and Abotech have been doing for the government for the last few years.
It links his former employers, the federal government, and Abotech in a plausible network to deliver federal contracts designated for aboriginal businesses to non-aboriginal businesses.
It is just a theory.
From the CBC bio for David Smith, prepared during the June 2004 federal election:
He has more than 15 of years experience in organizational management, human resources, property management, and management of multidisciplinary complex projects. He works as a business manager with Public Works and Government Services Canada. He was previously director of strategic development for Jaguar Solutions and executive director with AGM [sic] Informatique. He was also manager of Ameublement Branchard for six years.
David Smith built bridges between Jaguar and ASM. From the Jaguar Solutions website:
Jaguar Solutions has a close business relationship with ASM Informatique inc., an IT company which is specialized in custom accounting and management software products. As they say:"ASM's business mission is to offer managers custom designed software products truly built to help them take the best possible decisions. Our structure allows us to offer a fast and personalized service to the client where our dynamic team really stands out. We are also proud to be ISO 9001:2000 certified."
[Note: this page has suddenly disappeared from the web. Convenient. I've linked here to the Google cache of the French version of the page. The text is the same.]
So what sort of work has Jaguar done? Mostly work with fire management systems for the federal government. Actually, that's the only work they've listed:
Jaguar Solutions Clients
Government of CanadaIndian and Northern Affairs Canada (www.ainc-inac.gc.ca)
We have been managing the "Fire Management System" for the Yukon territory since 1995.Parks Canada (www.parcscanada.gc.ca)
We have been managing the "Parks Fire Information System" Intranet since 1995.Provincial Government
Manitoba Conservation (www.gov.mb.ca/natres)
We have been managing the "National Fire Information System" since 1995.
Forgot to mention this one, for the Government of the Northwest Territories:
RWED PM000102 Jaguar Solutions Gatineau INTERNET BASED FIRE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM PM000102 $35,000.00
RWED PM000103 Jaguar Solutions Gatineau XFMS MAINTENANCE PM000103 $5,000.00
RWED is the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development.
So between Indian Affairs for the Yukon and the work with the Northwest Territories, Jaguar seems to have plenty of work with Aboriginal concerns via the federal government. Moreover, despite being listed under "provincial government", the work for the National Fire Information Service is actually managed by the Canadian Forest Service, which is also a federal department. Though it is located in Manitoba, the work was done by IDYSIS of Quebec until 1995, when Jaguar of Quebec took over.
[Yeah, work is done in Manitoba, but all the money flows to Quebec. That's Canada for you.]
I can't ascertain if David Smith was working for Jaguar in 1995 when Jaguar landed that work.
As I noted, AGM should really read ASM. Here is the listing for ASM Informatique from 2002:
ASM Informatique inc.
Monsieur David Smith
100, Principale Sud, suite 241
Maniwaki (Quebec)
J9E 3L4
Tel: 819.449.4159
Fax : 819.449.4728
Courriel : asm@ireseau.com
David Smith, as already noted in the CBC bio, was the head guy.
Does ASM do work for First Nations? You betcha:
ASM INFORMATIQUE INC. is specialized in the conception of accounting and management software, which is personalised to the needs of the customer while respecting all of the laws and procedures in the art of management. We offer training on all of our products in our training institutions or at the customers place of business. Our products are used in different sizes of organisations, local, national and international. We are also certified by the international norm ISO9001:2000. ASM IINFORMATIQUE INC mission is to deliver to our customers services and products corresponding to there needs which in return gives them the such needed tools for important decision making in real time on the spot and at the lowest cost possible. Our enterprise structure assures a direct and continues participation of its management and allows the personnel to offer personalised and rapid interventions with our customers.Business Focus: Applications, Consultancy, Support, Third party tools, Training
Year Founded: 1988
No. of employees: 9We have applications for;
Accounting (complete), payroll, inventory management, etc.
Reservation (Hotel, fish and game, camping, sports centre, etc)
Transport (local and long distance)
Forestry (sawmill management, transport, etc)
Municipal ( govern small to medium size)
Sales and Service (snowmobile and bike centre, Computer hardware retail, POS, wholesale, etc)
First Nations management applications.
So David Smith maintains his links with Jaguar and ASM, which are closely linked to each other.
They both seem to make a good living off of federal contracts, especially those intersecting aboriginal concerns and territories.
Then he splits off to work out of his home for Abotech, a company with no apparent employees or facilities, landing hundreds of thousands in government public works contracts dedicated to aboriginal companies.
Here's my theory. Abotech is a front for non-aboriginal companies like Jaguar. The government hires "aboriginal" company Abotech to do the work and thus meets its own goal for supporting aboriginal companies. But Abotech is a shell, and after David Smith takes his cut, he passes the work off to Jaguar or to ASM, which are legit, though non-aboriginal, computer firms.
Neither Jaguar nor ASM are listed in the Aboriginal Business Directory, though Abotech is.
It works because David Smith is a status aboriginal:
The Aboriginal Peoples’ Commission (APC) congratulate Mr. Todd Russell for his election on May 24th as the newest Liberal member of Parliament representing the riding of Labrador. Mr. Russell, who is of Inuit ancestry, will join fellow Aboriginal Liberals Hon. Ethel Blondin-Andrew, Minister of Northern Development, Ms. Nancy Karetak-Lindell, MP Nunavut, Mr. Paul Devillers, MP Simcoe North, and Mr. David Smith, MP Pontiac in caucus.
Is David Smith the president of Abotech? Maybe not. Doesn't matter. The job doesn't require any actual skills, just contacts, and he's already established them. All he did was make his people at Jaguar or ASM or whomever know to deal with his wife, and the contracts and money keep flowing through.
Just a theory, mind you. If it's true, though, doesn't that make David Smith a lobbyist of sorts? Working for businesses that cut him a slice of the action instead of for his constituents.
Here's hoping the truth is less sordid than this.
[This post was made possible with a lot of help from readers and bloggers who left all sorts of interesting comments that allowed me to focus my search. Cheers all!]
Index of Abotech posts:
Another Liberal scandal brewing
Abotech Scandal Update
Abotech Scandal Update #2: MP David Smith's six-figure company is run out of his home
Hiding behind the Ethics Commissioner
Abotech Scandal Update #3: Now Abotech is an aerospace company?
Abotech Scandal Update #4: The nature of the work performed -- "Other"
Liberals: David Smith might have done something wrong. Really!
David Smith, Jaguar Solutions, ASM Informatique, and Government Contracts
David Smith, Jaguar Solutions, ASM Informatique -- close, literally
The press confirms David Smith works out of his home
Could David Smith's kids be running Abotech?
David Smith, Abotech, and Nursing
The Abotech Affair: The Link between Indian Affairs and Public Works
Abotech: One competitive contract awarded
Major developments in the Abotech affair (and a major correction)
David Smith is as aboriginal as my Polish grandmother
David Smith's extended Liberal Party bio
On the question of who manages Abotech and subcontractors
The Smith-Brazeau connection -- Deeper than I ever imagined
Skew my story on Skewz.com
Rate political news for their bias, read related stories, and leave your own skewed commentary
Search for more opinions from Canadian bloggers on these related keywords
Sphere presents related news articles and blog posts
Sphere It!
Comments
Which now raises a question.
David Smith currently sits on 3 Parliamentary committees: Aboriginal Affairs, Agriculture, and Canadian Heritage.
The first recently issued a report on Indian Residential Schools Resolution Canada -- for which Abotech did work, before Mr. Smith was elected. The third oversees the department of the same name, which operates programs of great interest to telecom firms such as the Canadian Heritage Information Network.
Do Mr. Smith's committee memberships put him in a conflict of interest with regards to Abotech's current contracts?
Posted by: PhantomObserver at October 21, 2005 10:39 AM
Absolutely great Angry.
Posted by: Ward at October 21, 2005 11:24 AM
You see, this is what makes you a cut above most bloggers Angry (and certainly miles ahead of any Dipper)... you actually perform intelligent research and discovery that actually uncovers real issues that should be addressed. So many other bloggers deal with the cosmetics while you deal with the meat.
Keep up the good work Angry. I hope that somebody out there with the muscle to do something is reading this... and sharpening the knife.
Posted by: Surecure at October 21, 2005 11:43 AM
Bein' as racial purity is of such quantitative importance in handing out government contracts, do we know if Abotech's current president, Mrs. Smith, is status FN or not?
Oh, the tangled web we weave.... ;o)
Good work, O Angry One.
Posted by: Jim Whyte at October 21, 2005 12:27 PM
Incredible work Angry. Are you getting any sniffs from the MSM on this one?
Posted by: The Hack at October 21, 2005 12:48 PM
A little off topic but I thought you guys might want to know. Quebec courts have given the crown the right to appeal Coffins sentence.
Posted by: Perkunas at October 21, 2005 12:59 PM
Angry: Superb research and analysis. Best I've seen on a Canadian blog.
There is no doubt that Abotech is an aborginal front to get federal contracts under Treasury Board policies favouring "aboriginal" firms--this scam is far too widespread and has not been reported on in the MSM.
The MSM, and the CPC, have also done lousy substantive work on the Smith affair.
Now what about his conflict of interest while a federal public servant?
Mark
Ottawa
Posted by: Mark Collins at October 21, 2005 04:27 PM
Great research!
You have shown that Abotech, presumably through its relationship with Mr. Smith, is listed as an "Aboriginal" company. Do we have information on whether it retains that status without him? That is, are his wife and/or children "status"? Or other members of the company (whatever constitutes qualification for such purposes)?
I believe (and I'm certainly no expert on this) that they would be "status" unless his wife was non-status and at exactly one of her parents was also non-status, under the two-generation cutoff rule. (If one of his parents was non-status, then the children would be "status" if his wife is status.) Or, the children would be "status" if neither his wife nor her ancestors were status, but both his parents were.
So I doubt this would be an issue, but one can imagine that some difficulties might arise if Mr. Smith were the only "status" member of the company, and he had to sever all ties.
Posted by: Paul O at October 21, 2005 05:12 PM
I think I must have gotten that a little confused in there: if exactly one of her parents is "status", then she, too, would be status (not non-status, as I enumerated above).
I'm so confused. But the bottom line remains: I doubt this is an issue (based on the sheer number of permutations which cause it to not be an issue), although the potential is there.
Posted by: Paul O at October 21, 2005 05:21 PM
just a another drop in the aboriginal bucket, Smith is small potatoes. where is the real money is going? the aboriginal ticket is a humungous money sinkhole for the Liberanos, funnelled straight back to our natural governing party.
Posted by: kelly at October 21, 2005 11:32 PM
"Here is a theory"
You have no credibility so why do you think your theories mean anything?
Posted by: Robert McClelland at October 22, 2005 01:25 AM
"You have no credibility so why do you think your theories mean anything?"
Because he's done a little leg work on this one and his theory makes a helluva lot more sense than anything coming from MP Smith or the Liberal party. I think the crediblity comes from that Robert.
Posted by: The Hack at October 22, 2005 02:38 AM
Great work Mr. Angry.
"You have no credibility so why do you think your theories mean anything?
Posted by Robert McClelland at October 22, 2005 01:25 AM
What Robbie is saying is " I am a moron, I can do no wrong, facts don't matter, I hate successful people, I am going back on my meds someday " . . .
Wanna bet RM is on the Gov't take somewhere ??
Posted by: Fred at October 22, 2005 10:03 AM
Don't be hard on McLa-La-Land... he tends to write things on his blog about news articles that he doesn't even read. I've only personally caught him doing that about 3 or 4 times.
Of course he then goes into his ultra silent mode. Tools tend to do that when you shut them down.
Posted by: Surecure at October 22, 2005 11:11 AM
I requested information from the Vancouver School to be included in all future tenders for computer equipment, on behalf of the company I own & operate on Vancouver Island.
No reply yet, but I'm optimistic. Can't wait to get on this Lieberal Gravy Train, even though I despise the bastard$...
Posted by: Alienated at October 22, 2005 11:24 AM
David Smith is NOT Aboriginal.
He is a self identified aboriginal person.
He grew up on a farm that was surrounded by the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, an annex. He was never part of the band. To be self identified all you have to do is raise your hand and say,
"I am Aboriginal because someone way back in my family history was but I can't prove it"
The feds accept this as proof of Aboriginal ancestry and award contracts to these people. Meanwhile legitimate Aboriginal companies suffer from not being able to bid on contracts because they go to these shell companies. It happens ALL the time!
Self identification is an assimilation tool that the government uses to dilute First Nations physically and politically. Self Identified people have No rights guaranteed to Aboriginal People as defined by the Indian Act, but, contracts can be awarded to these people and companies.
Someone just has to walk through the halls of Indian Affairs and listen and look at the "Native" people who work there.
White and French, mostly self-identified. The bonus for the government is that these people , on paper, are Indians but in reality they have no connection to any First Nations communities and are not accepted by any community. This means they do not have a First Nations political agenda and the feds can work their numbers any way they want.
It is a system that completely defeats any attempts to raise the standard of living among First Nations people. David Smith is a perfect example of a self identified "Indian" who has no ties to any community but gets contracts that are earmarked for Aboriginal business.
This is the continuation of a colonial mentality, take any power to acquire wealth away from Native people by any means.
Posted by: SA at October 22, 2005 12:42 PM
I agree with SA, David is not a status Indian. I taught David in High School and he was never on the band list for school supplies.
Posted by: Don at October 22, 2005 04:30 PM
Here is a link to something that validates what I posted, quite the eye opener.
http://www.ammsa.com/windspeaker/topnews-Oct-2005.html#anchor5681885
Posted by: SA at October 23, 2005 06:16 PM
 
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