Challenging Senate officials and CIBA Chair about Senate rules being broken
At the Senate’s Internal Economy Committee (“CIBA”), Deputy Chair Senator Denise Batters questions Senate administration officials and the Trudeau-appointed CIBA Chair about Senate procurement rules being broken.
Senator Denise Batters demands answers about a sole-source contract nearing $100,000 that clearly broke Senate procurement rules, which only came to light due to a journalist’s questions.
The Senate’s procurement rules for a sole-source contract over $35,000 were broken. If such a contract is to be issued by Senate administration, that contract MUST be pre-authorized by the Senate’s Internal Economy committee. As Deputy Chair of the Internal Economy committee, Senator Denise Batters knew this sole-source was not properly approved by CIBA.
During her questioning, the CIBA Chair, Trudeau-appointed Senator Marwah, admits two alarming things:
– During the first seven days of media questions on this issue of improper Senate expenses, he only asked one question of Senate administration: “Are the rules being followed?” He then states: “I wasn’t going to second-guess management.”
– He unilaterally made the decision to cancel the ushers contract. He did not inform the CIBA Deputy Chairs, or the other senators who are members of CIBA about this decision.
Trudeau-appointed senators have the majority in the Senate, and they are unilaterally running the Senate administration by excluding the Opposition. The Trudeau-appointed CIBA Chair, the Senate Speaker (appointed by PM Trudeau), and the Trudeau majority on CIBA are deciding everything in secrecy. This was displayed again at this CIBA meeting. They are keeping the Conservative Opposition in the dark. Thus, the Canadian public is kept in the dark.
During this entire CIBA meeting, only Conservative senators asked questions about these Senate rules being broken. “Independent” and Liberal senators did not. Only Conservatives are safeguarding taxpayers’ dollars.
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(May 30, 2019)