David Smith, Jaguar Solutions, ASM Informatique -- close, literally
An interesting tidbit about David Smith, Liberal MP for the riding of Pontiac, and the two computer firms he once worked for as a senior manager, Jaguar Solutions and ASM Informatique.
As you already know, David Smith is in some trouble because the computer firm he once led, Abotech, which had made quite a bit of money from government contracts, is having some of those contracts terminated as a result of a government audit. They were sole-sourced, meaning the government ministry was just handing money over to Abotech without looking for competitive bids.
When he resigned as president of Abotech to avoid conflict of interest, he simply made his wife president. So that means he's sleeping with the boss. But if that doesn't make you suspicious about just how much distance Smith has put between himself and Abotech, it also turns out that Abotech is run out of David Smith's house.
Now it turns out that Jaguar and ASM do significant work with First Nations, though neither is listed as an aboriginal business. Abotech is listed, since David Smith is an aboriginal, so you have to wonder if Abotech is really just a front, landing contracts meant to go to aboriginal business, taking a cut, then handing off to Jaguar or ASM to do the real work.
That's just a theory, of course.
What follows is not a theory.
Here is a map showing the route from Apotech corporate headquarters to Jaguar Solutions:
That's a distance of 1.4 miles.
You might think that's close, but then consider the distance between David Smith's constituency office in Maniwaki and the offices of ASM Informatique (I won't be using a map for this one):
David Smith, Constituency Office
100 Principal Street South Suite 225
Maniwaki, Quebec
J9E 3L4
ASM Informatique inc.
100, Principale Sud, suite 241
Maniwaki (Quebec)
J9E 3L4
Tel: 819.449.4159
Fax : 819.449.4728
What's that, maybe 8 or so doors over?
Maybe he originally worked for Jaguar because it was close to home. Maybe everything in Gatineau is within spitting distance of everything else. Maybe 100 Principal Street is the only commercial office space Smith could get in Maniwaki. Or maybe he really liked the building from his ASM days. But this certainly caught my eye.
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
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Comments
Angry,
Excellent work, keep going man, keep going.
Posted by: jeff at October 22, 2005 10:25 AM
Worrisome Librano Stealth
=== Bruce Cheadle story = Canadian Press ===
== Liberals announce post -Scandal Audit Rules ==
=================================
Liberal cabinet ministers are claiming their new reforms mark a fundamental shift in Canadian governance.
Opposition MPs are crying foul.
Ottawa will spend $40 million annually and hire up to 300 new auditors as it overhauls the way federal departments internally monitor their own programs, Treasury Board President Reg Alcock told a news conference.
Some 158 separate measures, with another 80 promised in coming days, "will be some of the most fundamental changes in the internal oversight that any government in the world has made," Alcock claimed.
"Prime Minister (Paul) Martin has set the bar very high for all of us."
The hyperbole and timing of the announcement, if not its substance, had Liberal opponents gagging.
"It's totally designed to pre-empt Gomery," said NDP veteran Ed Broadbent.
===== Oct 22/05 Canadian Press on Canada.com ====
====================================
I hope Ed Broadbent is wrong this time.
Gomery will be putting a report of great interest on display in 10 days.
Broadbent seems to suggest the curtains my be pulled so we may be denied
A chance to read Gomery’s report. Hope not TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at October 22, 2005 10:45 AM
"some of the most fundamental changes in the internal oversight that any government in the world has made"
If it wasn't for Sheila Fraser all those involved with Adscam would still be milking the system.
Posted by: JM at October 22, 2005 01:37 PM
Angry: The FBI could sure use you (your talents would be wasted on the RCMP or CSIS).
Mark
Ottawa
Posted by: Mark Collins at October 22, 2005 03:07 PM
Jim Travers, love or hate, has a good column in the Star today (and it is tough on the Liberals):
"New rules won't fix sponsorship woes: Problem is people who break the rules"
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1129931410373&call_pageid=968332188774&col=968350116467
Excerpt:
...
'There are better, cheaper ways to protect against those failures than the ones Alcock and Brison are now soft-shoeing across the public stage.
They begin with political leadership that sets the highest ethical standards and demands no less from ministers and mandarins. And they continue with relatively modest structural tinkering to reinforce that top-down cultural change.
That's not what's happening. Yes, there are marginal improvements in the government's still-unfolding list of more than 200 reforms, but this week's headlines are still screaming about cronyism in Martin's inner circle, and there are no plans for the simple measures that would retard corruption.
If Martin is serious about slashing the democratic deficit, he will, first, stop playing politics by Chrétien's street-fighter rules. Then, among other long-overdue reforms, he will make deputy ministers accountable to Parliament, give committees the resources needed to follow the dollars, and put out of business the cottage industry that thrives here by subverting the public's right to know what government is doing.
Instead, Alcock and Brison are tinkering in the margins of a government bent on reliving the past.'
...
Mark
Ottawa
Posted by: Mark Collins at October 22, 2005 03:08 PM
Nice Work Angry.
I've noticed the dead silence here from the usual liberal heckers....
It's appalling government officials are permitted to get away with this kind of unethical behavior...
I had tried ANY of the crap you've outlined in the last few days. I would have been fired long ago... And I work for one of the evil multinational oil companies...
Posted by: Sierra at October 22, 2005 04:20 PM
 
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