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Committee Evidence - OGGO-49
2023-02-01
View Yves-François Blanchet Profile
BQ (QC)
View Yves-François Blanchet Profile
Yves-François Blanchet (Beloeil—Chambly)
2023-02-01 16:50
Thank you, Mr. Chair
Mr. Barton, I'm not going to ask you when your birthday is or whether you prefer creamy or traditional coleslaw.
I have nevertheless taken note of the fact that you are no longer with McKinsey. That's a considerable advantage for us because you are thoroughly familiar with that firm, and know it as few others do. You are free to speak, because it is no longer your employer and you are no longer associated with it. That's great, because we'll be able to ask you more specific questions.
In just a few words, how would you define a standing offer?
Government contractsMcKinsey & CompanyStanding offers
View Yves-François Blanchet Profile
BQ (QC)
View Yves-François Blanchet Profile
Yves-François Blanchet (Beloeil—Chambly)
2023-02-01 16:51
That won't be necessary, because time is short.
Just as the Prime Minister of Canada is accountable for everything that happens with his government, you, as managing director of McKinsey must have known how the company operates internally.
I will accordingly ask you a more general question.
Could McKinsey, under your authority, have awarded a contract whose terms and costs were unknown to the public, and which would only expire long after the death of anyone who might have read it? Is that a sound managerial practice for a private company or government?
View Yves-François Blanchet Profile
BQ (QC)
View Yves-François Blanchet Profile
Yves-François Blanchet (Beloeil—Chambly)
2023-02-01 16:51
Our understanding of this standing offer is that the public does not know what it's for, now or in the future, or how much it will cost. It will not be zero dollars, as was written, or as the minister claimed. Not only that, but by the time the contract comes to term, if it continues until 2100, we'll all be dead.
Is that a sound managerial practice? As the managing director of McKinsey, would you have done that?
Government contractsMcKinsey & Company
View Yves-François Blanchet Profile
BQ (QC)
View Yves-François Blanchet Profile
Yves-François Blanchet (Beloeil—Chambly)
2023-02-01 16:52
As a manager, would you have done that? You are probably an outstanding manager. Would you have arranged a contract like that? As a client, would you have agreed to sign it?
Government contractsMcKinsey & Company
View Yves-François Blanchet Profile
BQ (QC)
View Yves-François Blanchet Profile
Yves-François Blanchet (Beloeil—Chambly)
2023-02-01 16:52
That's interesting.
My understanding is that you obviously don't know the Prime Minister of Canada very well at all. You'd have trouble recognizing him in an elevator if he was in there with you.
And yet you were appointed ambassador to China, a posting so important that you must have had detailed conversations with the Prime Minister of Canada about his expectations with respect to our relationship with China—and God knows things were not going well.
What was the nature of these conversations? Did they not lead to some close contacts between the Prime Minister and yourself?
AmbassadorsChinaGovernment contractsMcKinsey & CompanyPrime MinisterReferences to membersTrudeau, Justin
View Yves-François Blanchet Profile
BQ (QC)
View Yves-François Blanchet Profile
Yves-François Blanchet (Beloeil—Chambly)
2023-02-01 16:54
Mr. Barton, in view of the extent of our relationship, it's highly unlikely that I would be publicly praising your qualities. I don't think we are that close, which suggests something.
I'm going to bring up an entirely different matter, the matter of Canada with its 100 million citizens, and the greater Montreal area, with a population of 12.5 million. It's about a recommendation designed to make Canada's economy more dynamic.
You've been talking about a lot of numbers. Of these 12.5 million Montrealers, how many would speak French? To what extent will we have been able, as a country, to integrate, teach French to, and invite people to become a part of the Quebec nation, one of whose characteristics is the French language? Will this number not mean fewer people overall who will still be speaking French?
FrenchGovernment contractsImmigration policyMcKinsey & Company
View Yves-François Blanchet Profile
BQ (QC)
View Yves-François Blanchet Profile
Yves-François Blanchet (Beloeil—Chambly)
2023-02-01 17:12
I'll be brief. First of all, I don't want to refer to a specific contract because it has obviously been a long time and you've forgotten some bits here and there. Nevertheless, you were the CEO of McKinsey and you know how it works.
Within the overall relationship between McKinsey and the Canadian government, were you the contractee working to improve things or setting targets in areas like immigration?
Government contractsImmigration policyMcKinsey & Company
View Yves-François Blanchet Profile
BQ (QC)
View Yves-François Blanchet Profile
Yves-François Blanchet (Beloeil—Chambly)
2023-02-01 17:14
That's very interesting, and it was pointed out several times that McKinsey didn't make decisions, but rather recommendations.
The Century Initiative provided advice to the government and the government decided whether or not to follow it. If recommendations were harmful to Quebec, for example, because there is nothing about maintaining a national identity in Quebec, McKinsey is not responsible. I understand clearly that it's Justin Trudeau and his government who are responsible for whatever is wrong in what they adopted from among your many proposals.
Government contractsImmigration policyMcKinsey & Company
View Yves-François Blanchet Profile
BQ (QC)
View Yves-François Blanchet Profile
Yves-François Blanchet (Beloeil—Chambly)
2023-02-01 17:14
Nevertheless, the government accepted everything that amounted to interference in Quebec's areas of jurisdiction, which is something you may not have been aware of.
You could have said that you didn't want to go there to avoid interfering in Quebec's fields of jurisdiction, such as professional training and other areas. Maintaining a Quebec identity is important.
Was that taken into consideration? Did anyone express doubts at some point?
Government contractsImmigration policyMcKinsey & CompanyProvince of QuebecProvincial jurisdiction
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