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Results: 1 - 15 of 555
View Raynald Blais Profile
BQ (QC)
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Good afternoon, gentlemen.
I will be more direct in asking my question. We are wondering whether there is the appearance of a conflict of interest given that an oil company is funding a Canadian Coast Guard vessel. When you learned that ArcticNet, the lessee, was doing business with oil companies, I would think that not only did an alarm bell go off, but that a yellow light lit up in the coast guard's offices. I would like to know why you do not see that as a real or apparent conflict of interest.
View Raynald Blais Profile
BQ (QC)
The direct relationship is not what I have a problem with. It is the indirect relationship where the nuances exist. Correct me if I am wrong. You said that the Canadian Coast Guard established a contract for the Amundsen directly with ArcticNet, and that is true. There is no problem there.
The oil companies, however, fund the agreement indirectly. Furthermore, when oil company representatives appeared before the committee, they made it very clear that most of the activities were research-based, but they also said that some of those activities affected them. Part of the agreement between ArcticNet and the coast guard covers research that concerns the oil companies. You seem to be saying that is not the case. My understanding is that the people at BP—and other such companies leasing the vessel indirectly—do, at some point, use it for their own research purposes.
View Raynald Blais Profile
BQ (QC)
Not 100%, but a portion. When I say a portion, that does not mean 100%.
View Raynald Blais Profile
BQ (QC)
According to you then, the fact that the vessel serves oil companies' interests does not create a conflict of interest, either real or apparent?
View Raynald Blais Profile
BQ (QC)
Hence the expression “appearance of a conflict of interest”. I agree with you that there is no real conflict of interest. I am talking about the appearance of one.
View Raynald Blais Profile
BQ (QC)
Mr. Grégoire, that is not what I said, and that is not what the committee thinks either. I agree with you, there is no blatant conflict of interest—none, we are agreed on that. However, what I wonder about is the appearance of a conflict of interest. Are you comfortable with the appearance of a conflict of interest?
View Raynald Blais Profile
BQ (QC)
Do you feel comfortable, Mr. Grégoire, with the appearance of a conflict of interest?
View Raynald Blais Profile
BQ (QC)
Are you equally comfortable with the fact that your involvement is helping the oil industry?
View Raynald Blais Profile
BQ (QC)
And so you lease your vessel to ArcticNet, and then it is out of your hands? You do not monitor what goes on? I would think you do.
View Raynald Blais Profile
BQ (QC)
You are concerned strictly with that aspect, but not the interests of the mission or anything of that nature. No big deal, as long as the money comes in.
View Raynald Blais Profile
BQ (QC)
View Raynald Blais Profile
BQ (QC)
I am going to continue on the same track as before.
I used to be a journalist. And when I would interview someone, I would often provoke them to try to get something meaty. So I am going to carry on provoking you, but it is not to be mean. I have absolutely nothing against you.
I want to come back to the oil companies. Whether Mr. Sopuck likes it or not, Chevron's response in South America and BP's response in the Gulf of Mexico lead us to believe that they really are the bad guys. They do not exactly inspire confidence, unfortunately. I wish they did, but they don't in light of what happened. If things were to change, that would be a different story. But given how things stand right now, I am going to do everything in my power to mitigate the damage.
I have the same concern when it comes to the Amundsen and the oil companies that are helping to fund ArcticNet's work. That is my sole concern.
You even said it yourself. You had questions about whether there was a conflict of interest, real or apparent, when you found out that oil companies were helping to pay the leasing costs of the ship through ArcticNet and Université Laval.
Would you be more comfortable if none of the funding came from oil companies?
View Raynald Blais Profile
BQ (QC)
Do you not think that, one day, you may be called upon to help clean up the mess caused by oil companies in the Arctic, given their greed, their conduct and their lack of accountability?
View Raynald Blais Profile
BQ (QC)
Mr. Grégoire, like some of your predecessors who came before the committee a few years back, you are no doubt very aware that the Canadian Coast Guard's budget is insufficient. Recently, however, thanks to the generosity of the current government, you did receive a budget that allowed you to slightly increase your ship funding. But funding is still inadequate for things such as research.
According to the report of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, the Canadian Coast Guard is not equipped to deal with a disaster. You have no emergency response plan. That is unfortunate, but there is not enough money.
Does that mean, then, that you are willing to take money wherever you can get it?
Results: 1 - 15 of 555 | Page: 1 of 37

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