Parliamentary Committee Notes: Question Period Transcripts - Sinclair Technologies
Question Period, December 7, 2022
Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Carleton), CPC
Mr. Speaker, this Liberal government awarded a contract to a company with ties to China to secure counterespionage technology. The problem is that the owner of that company has been charged in the United States with 21 espionage related crimes.
How can the government hire a company that has been criminally charged with espionage to protect our police forces from espionage?
Hon. Helena Jaczek (Markham—Stouffville), LPC
Mr. Speaker, we are aware of the concerns surrounding the RCMP contract with Sinclair Technologies, and our government is reviewing them.
Public Services and Procurement Canada has a strong track record in managing the procurement of more than $20 billion in goods and services every year according to the requirements set by the client department. We will be taking all the necessary steps to ensure the integrity of our infrastructure.
Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Carleton), CPC
Mr. Speaker, that answer was encrypted with bureaucratese. Maybe that would be a better way to protect our internal communications, but instead the government came up with a different plan. What it has done is given a contract to a company that is supposed to protect the RCMP from eavesdropping. That company is owned by another company that is charged with 21 espionage offences in the United States of America.
How on God's green earth did the government think it was a good idea to give a company accused of espionage control of our anti-espionage technology?
Hon. Marco Mendicino (Eglinton—Lawrence), LPC
Mr. Speaker, we have put in place rigorous processes to screen for national security concerns when it comes to awarding contracts. I want to assure my colleague that we are looking very carefully at the way in which our independent public servants screened this particular contract. I share the member's concern. I think we can all agree that it is important to protect our national security. That is why we have cracked down on foreign funding and why we struck two independent, non-partisan panels to confirm the integrity of our democratic institutions, including our elections in 2019 and 2021. What is the distinction? We did these things. The Conservatives did not.
Julie Vignola (Beauport—Limoilou), BQ
Mr. Speaker, barely a year ago, the government awarded Sinclair Technologies, a company held in part by China, a contract to secure RCMP communications and the confidentiality of the Prime Minister's communications.
This contract gives a Chinese government-owned company access to the RCMP's classified frequency. That would be like asking Dr. No to create gadgets for James Bond. It is as ridiculous as it is reckless. It is simply impossible to believe.
Will the government immediately cancel this contract?
Hon. Marco Mendicino (Eglinton—Lawrence). LPC
Mr. Speaker, we have already put in place a very rigorous process to protect us from threats caused by foreign interference. We are proceeding with a review of the context of this particular contract.
However, we will continue to make investments. We will continue to provide all the tools the public safety and the security intelligence service need to protect all our institutions, including police services.
Julie Vignola (Beauport—Limoilou), BQ
Mr. Speaker, in light of China's political interference in political party financing, the espionage at Hydro-Québec, the Winnipeg laboratory and the secret police stations, we would have thought that the RCMP would have started monitoring Chinese operations in Canada, but no, China has been monitoring RCMP operations.
The company has been charged with 21 espionage offences in the United States and the government did not even conduct a security check. The contract could have been awarded to a company in Boucherville, but no. It was given to China instead of Quebec.
Seriously, are they doing this on purpose?
Hon. Marco Mendicino (Eglinton—Lawrence), LPC
Mr. Speaker, the government takes very seriously all threats caused by foreign interference. The RCMP has already acted on some threats caused by foreign interference. On this side of the House, we will continue to provide all the tools and intelligence the public safety community needs to protect all our democratic institutions.
Melissa Lantsman (Thornhill), CPC
Mr. Speaker, it has not even been two weeks since the government announced its about-face on China in its Indo-Pacific strategy, and we have learned that the Liberals awarded a contract for RCMP communications equipment to a company with ties to the government in Beijing.
Sinclair Technologies was awarded the contract for a system meant to protect the RCMP's land-based communications from eavesdropping. Here is the problem. Sinclair Technologies' parent company is owned, in part, by the Chinese government, and it is charged with 21 espionage offences. There is nothing to review. Will the government terminate this contract today, yes or no?
Hon. Helena Jaczek (Markham—Stouffville), LPC
Mr. Speaker, of course we are aware of the concerns surrounding the RCMP's contract with Sinclair Technologies. Our government is looking into them and is examining all potential options. We do take very seriously all measures to ensure the integrity of our infrastructure.
Melissa Lantsman (Thornhill), CPC
Mr. Speaker, here is an option: terminate it. The government admitted that it did not take security concerns or Sinclair's ownership into consideration during the bidding process. Worse yet, Sinclair's main competitor for the RCMP contract was a Quebec-based firm called Comprod. The government chose made-in-China instead of made-in-Canada, and the difference between Sinclair and Comprod was less than $60,000.
The U.S. blacklisted Sinclair's parent company last year, and Canada just gave it a contract. Did the government really just sell national security for 60 grand?
Hon. Marco Mendicino (Eglinton—Lawrence), LPC
Mr. Speaker, as we have said on a number of occasions, we are obviously looking extremely carefully at the details of how this contract was awarded, but I assure my colleague—
Mr. Speaker, as I was explaining to colleagues in this chamber, of course we are extremely concerned with the revelations about this contract, which is why we are reviewing it very carefully. Obviously, we have put in place very rigorous protocols to guard against any threats to national security. Those are protocols that this government continues to reinforce with additional supports for law enforcement and national security, as well as additional supports to make sure we are protecting all of our democratic institutions, including the critical infrastructure that supports our police.
Pierre Paul-Hus (Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles), CPC
Mr. Speaker, is there any country in the world where the prime minister allows the Chinese communist regime to have access to its secrets? I know of one: Canada.
Two years ago, the Prime Minister awarded a contract to Nuctech, a company with ties to the Chinese communist regime. It was hired to install systems in our embassies around the world. Luckily, this contract was cancelled.
Today, we learned that the Prime Minister gave a contract to a company that has been charged with 21 counts of espionage. It was hired to install equipment in the RCMP's telecommunications system, where the devices must be as secret as possible. Even the Prime Minister's security detail uses this system.
Why does the Prime Minister give contracts to the Chinese communist regime?
Hon. Marco Mendicino (Eglinton—Lawrence), LPC
Mr. Speaker, with all due respect, since this is the same question, I will give the same answer.
We have instructed our independent officials to do a review of this particular contract involving the RCMP.
What is more important is that all members in the House understand that we have made investments to provide all the tools that the public safety community needs to protect our democratic institution.
Pierre Paul-Hus (Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles), CPC
Mr. Speaker, Canada has a major problem with its contracting. Two years ago, when the Nuctech issue came to light, there were specific recommendations to halt purchasing from companies with close ties to the Chinese communist regime.
How could the government have awarded a contract to a company tied to the Chinese communist regime for, of all things, security devices as important as the RCMP's communications systems?
Is there even anyone in charge in this government, or does everyone do as they please?
Hon. Helena Jaczek (Markham—Stouffville), LPC
Mr. Speaker, of course, as my colleagues have said, and I have said as well, we are taking these concerns extremely seriously. We are looking at all options. We are reviewing processes. Our concerns are with the member on this particular issue.
Question Period, December 8, 2022
Alain Therrien (La Prairie), BQ
Mr. Speaker, the contract the government awarded to Sinclair Technologies, which is partly owned by Chinese interests accused of espionage, is extremely troubling. We know that the contract was just cancelled, but the government still gave a Chinese government-owned company access to the RCMP's classified frequencies. The contract was for a filtering system that ensures the confidentiality of the communications of the Prime Minister and foreign heads of state visiting Canada. No one thought any security checks were in order. Can the Prime Minister explain this?
Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Papineau), LPC
Mr. Speaker, our eyes are always open when it comes to threats from hostile actors. We are very concerned about what happened with these contracts with Sinclair Technologies, and our government is looking at them carefully. We will take all necessary steps to ensure the integrity of our national security, and we will put measures in place to ensure that nothing like this happens in the future.
Alain Therrien (La Prairie), BQ
Mr. Speaker, let us talk about those measures. The federal government has a Crown corporation whose mandate is to monitor communications security. It is called the CSE, the Communications Security Establishment. Nobody in government thought to ask CSE experts to assess the national security risk associated with this contract, which gave a company accused of espionage in the U.S. access to the RCMP's secret frequencies.
Nobody in government thought to ask the CSE to look into this. What is the Prime Minister's explanation for that?
Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Papineau), LPC
Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, we are concerned about the situation. That is why we asked the minister and officials to review two things. First, what should we do to ensure the integrity and security of our communications at this point? Second, how can we improve our systems to avoid problems like this going forward?
Michael Cooper (St. Albert—Edmonton), CPC
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals recklessly awarded a contract to the subsidiary of a Beijing-controlled company to provide counterespionage technology, a company that literally faces 21 espionage charges and has been blacklisted from the U.S. as a national security threat.
The Liberals literally handed the keys of our national security over to Beijing. How could they be so incompetent?
Hon. Helena Jaczek (Markham—Stouffville), LPC
Mr. Speaker, as the Prime Minister made very clear today, and the Minister of Public Safety and I yesterday, we also share these concerns around this contract that the RCMP had with Sinclair Technologies. The member will have heard that contract has been suspended.
As the central purchasing agent for the Government of Canada, Public Services and Procurement will look very closely at this. I have instructed my officials to examine this issue. We are going to look at our procedures and our processes with the greatest intensity to ensure our security of our infrastructure.
Michael Cooper (St. Albert—Edmonton), CPC
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of Public Safety repeatedly claimed that vigorous security processes were in place, except that is not true. Government officials are on record saying that security issues were not considered when this contract was awarded, a contract that affects our national security directly.
When will the Liberals finally accept responsibility for this complete failure on their part to protect our national security?
Pam Damoff (Oakville North—Burlington), LPC
Mr. Speaker, there is nothing more important than safeguarding our democracy. The RCMP has confirmed that the contract with Sinclair Technologies has been suspended and that it is conducting further reviews to ensure the integrity of our infrastructure is in place.
Given the current geopolitical dynamics, we are taking all actions to combat foreign interference.
Luc Berthold (Mégantic—L'Érable), CPC
Mr. Speaker, that is something. The Liberal government gave access to the RCMP's secured communications system to a company held by Beijing while the RCMP confirmed that it was investigating Beijing's interference into our election. There was no security check nor any questions about the company that the RCMP is going to entrust its secret codes to for its internal communications. Our American neighbours have known about this for a long time and that company was on their blacklist.
Instead of taking responsibility, as usual the Prime Minister is blaming others. Why is the Prime Minister always so slow and so spineless every time he needs to stand up to Beijing?
Hon. Helena Jaczek (Markham—Stouffville), LPC
Mr. Speaker, our priority was and remains protecting the integrity of Canada's contracting system.
As soon as threats are identified, we take action.
I gave our officials instructions to review the process in place for contracts and to target areas that can be improved.
Luc Berthold (Mégantic—L'Érable), CPC
Mr. Speaker, we have a serious problem in Canada. Judging by the Liberals' answers, the media is the Prime Minister's primary source of information on Beijing's interference.
Whether it is a network of candidates funded by China or a company held by the Chinese communist regime getting a contract to protect the RCMP's communications, every time the Prime Minister denies having been informed by his intelligence experts.
Either the Prime Minister has his eyes closed or he does not want to know; or he knows, but is voluntarily hiding the information.
Which answer are we going to get today?
Hon. François-Philippe Champagne (Saint-Maurice—Champlain), LPC
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his question.
I think we all agree, as parliamentarians and as Canadians, that this contract should never have been signed. We all agree that national security is everyone's responsibility.
We on this side of the House have always taken steps to deal with foreign interference. My hon. colleague will recall that just a few months ago we blocked three transactions, precisely to protect critical minerals in this country.
When it comes to national security, we will always be there to defend the interests of Canadians.
Question Period, December 9, 2022
Michael Cooper (St. Albert—Edmonton), CPC
Madam Speaker, the Liberals awarded a contract to protect sensitive RCMP communications systems from espionage to the subsidiary of a company charged with espionage. No security review was undertaken. No consideration was given to Beijing's ownership of the company.
The Liberals claim that vigorous security processes are in place. Where were those security processes when this contract was approved?
Yasir Naqvi (Ottawa Centre), LPC
Madam Speaker, that is an important question. I want to make it very clear to all members of the House that our government takes foreign interference very seriously.
We are aware of the concerns around the RCMP's contract with Sinclair Technologies, and it is our understanding that the RCMP has suspended that contract. We are also undertaking a review to ensure that never at any point is Canadian national security jeopardized.
Michael Cooper (St. Albert—Edmonton), CPC
Madam Speaker, the only reason this contract was approved is that we have an incompetent Liberal government that has repeatedly failed to protect our sovereignty and security from Beijing, from illegal police stations to interference in our elections to now this.
The contract has been suspended, but it should never have been approved in the first place. Why do the Liberals only do the right thing after they get caught failing Canadians?
Yasir Naqvi (Ottawa Centre), LPC
Madam Speaker, let us be very clear, and I am sure all members of the House agree on this. Safeguarding our democracy and our national security is of paramount importance. This is not a partisan issue. This is an issue that we all agree on, and we need to make sure that we remain vigilant when it comes to protecting our national security.
That is why the contract with Sinclair Technologies has been suspended by the RCMP. That is why we are reviewing all mechanisms to ensure that such contracts are never awarded. Once again, safeguarding our democracy and national security is of paramount.
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