Thread by @sunlorrie

Oh fer cryin' out loud, you're the AUDITOR GENERAL! AG Defends Ties To Lobbyist | Blacklock's Reporter blacklocks.ca/ag-defends-tie… #cdnpoli

'Auditor General Karen Hogan yesterday defended her ties to a Liberal lobbyist. Hogan awarded sole-sourced contracts to a lobbying firm and fed them confidential copies of her audits months before they were available to MPs and senators.'

"I have taken a look at the contracts,” said Hogan. “We followed the contracting rules set out by the government.”
Hogan’s office in 2020 awarded a $24,800 sole-sourced contract to lobbyist Susan Smith of Bluesky Strategy Group Inc. of Ottawa.

'The value was just below the $25,000 threshold requiring public notice to other bidders. Smith is a former Liberal press aide & co-founder of a Party-affiliated think tank, Canada 2020.'

'Records showed auditors also fed confidential copies of their reports to Smith months before they were tabled in Parliament. Secret copies of audits were emailed to smith January 8, 2020 but were not publicly released to parliamentarians until July 8.'

Auditor Hogan yesterday declined comment when asked if any corrective measures were taken following the disclosures. Hogan’s office had attempted to conceal the records under the Access To Information Act and only released them after Blacklock’s filed a formal complaint.