Ottawa releases list of companies lending staff to major projects office

OTTAWA — The Major Projects Office has seconded staff from various companies, including banks, oil and gas firms, and mining companies, as it works to enhance Canada's review process and expedite the construction of projects, according to a new document. The federal government released a list of 41 employees on Tuesday, following months of pressure from Conservative and Bloc Québécois MPs who questioned potential conflicts of interest.

The list, which The Canadian Press obtained and first reported on by The Toronto Star, includes individuals from the Bank of Montreal, RBC, Scotiabank, the Government of Yukon, and various other firms. These companies consist of ATCO EnPower, railways CN and CPKC, mining company BHP Canada, Ledcor, Pembina Pipeline Corporation, TC Energy, TransAlta Corporation, Torys law firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and QSI Finance Canada.

Federal institutions, such as the Canada Energy Regulator, Trans Mountain Corporation, RCMP, Canada Revenue Agency, and Canada Development Investment Corporation, also contribute staff to the office. Opposition MPs have been scrutinizing the office for potential conflicts since The Globe and Mail reported it was recruiting from Bay Street.

The office claims to have an interchange program dating back to the 1970s to bring in private-sector employees with specific expertise, reimbursing their employers for part of their salaries. They assert their employees are not in conflicts and have been cleared by human resources in the Privy Council Office. Dawn Farrell, the CEO of the Major Projects Office, stated that senior officials consult the parliamentary ethics commissioner, and other employees have been cleared through human resources.

Farrell assured MPs that "there are no conflicts of employees with these employees," as every single employee undergoes disclosure and cannot work on projects with conflicting areas. Initially, Ottawa refused to disclose the list, with Energy Minister Tim Hodgson accusing opposition MPs of promoting "conspiracy theories" when asked to reveal it.