The Abotech Affair: The Link between Indian Affairs and Public Works
In the emerging picture of Liberal MP David Smith, representing the riding of Pontiac, and his (former) firm Abotech, and the question of work that might have been done by Abotech in relation to aboriginal contracts (David Smith claims to be an aboriginal), it has to be noted that he himself did not work for the Ministry of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. Before becoming an MP, David Smith was a senior bureaucrat with Public Works and Government Sevices Canada.
Abotech received significant contracts, all from PWGSC, all under the category of "Other".
I have theorized that Abotech is taking advantage of its categorization as an aboriginal business to get contracts set aside for aboriginal businesses, and then pass the work off to the firms that David Smith once worked for (after a suitable cut, of course).
You'd expect that contracts would have been tendered from Indian Affairs and Northern Development.
What I have discovered is that Indian Affairs and Northern Development moves quite a bit of money through PWGSC.
Consider the following line items in the "2004-2005 Public Accounts of Canada: Professional and Special Services":
INDIAN AFFAIRS AND NORTHERN DEVELOPMENTDepartment
Department management and Administration
Engineering and architectural services (including research):
PWGSC: $3,136,376Informatics:
PWGSC: $225,125Protection Services:
PWGSC: $149,753Other professional services:
PWGSC: $2,398,137Indian and Inuit Affairs
Accounting services:
PWGSC: $241,772Engineering and architectural services (including research):
PWGSC: $10,535,048Non-professional contracted services:
PWGSC: $138,916Scientific services:
PWGSC: $151,920Other professional services:
PWGSC: $7,569,018Northern Affairs
Engineering and architectural services (including research):
PWGSC: $755,135Scientific services:
PWGSC: $5,185,853Other professional services:
PWGSC: $5,268,974
That's $35,756,027, or an astounding 21% of the $173,395,663 budget for Indian Affairs and Northern Development essentially subcontracted to PWGSC, home of the Sponsorship Program, and now subject to more questions about how Abotech was given contracts.
Was the money handed to Abotech by PWGSC without competitive bidding entrusted to PWGSC by Indian Affairs and Northern Development? Maybe Minister Andy Scott can give the Opposition a rest and pose a few questions of Minister Scott Brison during Question Period next week.
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
Kind of reminds you of a game of "follow the little red ball under these three shells".
Anybody want to take a guess the "ball" (meaning the money) didn't end up anywhere under those three shells... and in fact ended up in the showman's pocket?
Posted by: Surecure at October 23, 2005 02:18 PM
Wampum belts are packed & ready in Ottawa: Challenger jets (six) are on stand-by; word is out; take your begging cup to this powwow. Wahoo!! --- more free taxes from Big White Chief Martin. See ya at the "Grand" Okanagan Hotel.>>>>>
Prime Minister invites Premiers, Territorial Leaders, and Leaders of National Aboriginal Organizations to a First Ministers' meeting
October 21, 2005
Ottawa, Ontario
Prime Minister Paul Martin today announced a First Ministers' Meeting in Kelowna, British Columbia, on November 24-25, 2005.
The Prime Minister has invited Premiers, Territorial Leaders and Leaders of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), the Métis National Council (MNC), the Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC) and the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (CAP) to participate in the meeting, which will be held at the Grand Okanagan Hotel.
"This meeting will be an important opportunity to further the work that has been done, over the past year and a half, to bridge the gap in the quality of life for Aboriginal people," said the Prime Minister. "I look forward to discussions with First Ministers and National Aboriginal Leaders during the upcoming meeting."
The meeting builds on the strengthened relationship emerging from the September 13, 2004 Special Meeting between First Ministers and Aboriginal Leaders and is an opportunity for the federal, provincial and territorial governments to discuss how to improve the lives of Aboriginal Peoples.
A detailed agenda will be made available at a later date.
As a result, the Prime Minister will not attend the meeting of Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Malta on November 25-27, 2005. Canada will be represented by Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew. >>>
http://nouvelles.gc.ca/cfmx/view/en/index.jsp?articleid=176879&
Posted by: maz2 at October 23, 2005 03:52 PM
Hm. Looking at this same Public Accounts document, we see that Abotech received $182,404 from Public Works for "other professional services" (page 112). Any guesses what that could be for?
Posted by: PhantomObserver at October 24, 2005 09:36 AM
Not sure what maz2 is trying to say with the stereotypicl excalmations at the begining of his/her post, but what the hell?!!
Free taxes?
First, before we address your insult to Native people everywhere, I pay just as much taxes as any white Canadian out there and I am Aboriginal.
If you live on reserve you don't pay income tax but guess what, most reserves are in a permanent state of economic depression and people there live close to or under the poverty level, all the time!
Second, having Native leaders at this table is a major improvement in relations between Canada and Native people, not some begging "powwow" that you so elegantly describe. This marks an occassion where decisions that are made by white leaders concerning brown Native people are made by making the brown people part of the process you ignorant simp!
I know this is a conservative website, why it has to attract American style racism is beyond me. Does this reflect how Canadians see Native? Not supposed to be part of any political process that directly affects our lives?
Wake up call!
SA
Posted by: SA at October 26, 2005 09:36 AM
 
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