A former Liberal deputy industry minister on Monday denied any responsibility for rampant conflicts at a disgraced federal agency disbanded last year, per Blacklock’s Reporter. The now retired John Knubley testifying by videoconference at the Commons Public Accounts Committee, appeared agitated as MPs accused him of a coverup surrounding Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC). Parliament has been gridlocked for two months over investigations into SDTC corruption. “I don’t have strong recall,” testified Knubley, who retired in 2019. Knubley said it was “not his job” to police ethics by cabinet appointees.“The mismanagement of conflicts that has marked the board at Sustainable Development Technology Canada, that never came to your attention?” asked Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith.“No,” replied Knubley.“Are you not concerned, looking back now, as to what happened?” asked NDP MP Lindsay Mathyssen.“I generally expected as a deputy minister that all agencies and departments I was responsible for would regularly develop, refine and implement policies for real or perceived conflict,” replied Knubley. “That was my job, to make it clear that was their responsibility.”.Liberal appointee denies personal benefit from $217K green tech subsidy.Cabinet disbanded the agency June 4 after auditors confirmed whistleblower complaints of widespread conflict by board members in awarding $856 million in subsidies to corporations. The auditor general counted 186 conflicts of interest.Knubley yesterday said ensuring compliance with ethics laws was not his responsibility. The Sustainable Development Technology Act specifically prohibited directors from profiting from their public duties.“You must be familiar with the Act?” asked Conservative MP Rick Perkins.“I am not terribly familiar with the Act and I am not a lawyer,” replied Knubley.“What I do know, first of all, it’s not my job.”“Even as a longstanding deputy minister, that is not my role to judge. That is the Ethics Commissioner’s role to judge.”“When board members 82% of the time were voting for themselves in contravention of the Act which you are responsible to parliament for as a deputy minister, you don’t believe it was your responsibility to know what was going on there?” asked Perkins.“Who are you covering up for?”Knubley did not comment..Green slush fund execs still eyeing bonuses despite grinding parliament to a halt for weeks.Conservative MP Kelly McCauley expressed disbelief over the testimony.“You were not aware?” he asked.“This is not like one case of conflict of interest or two or 10 or 15.”“How was all of this kept secret, this rampant conflict of interest with hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ money?”“How would I as a deputy minister necessarily be aware of these issues?” replied Knubley.Then-Industry Minister Navdeep Bains testified October 30 he too was unaware that SDTC directors were awarding millions’ worth of subsidies to friends and associates.“My responsibility was to appoint seven of the 15 board members,” said Bains.“Do you take responsibility?” asked Conservative MP Larry Brock.“I am answering the question,” replied Bains..Federal agency's 'Green Slush Fund' marred by conflicts of interest and mismanagement
A former Liberal deputy industry minister on Monday denied any responsibility for rampant conflicts at a disgraced federal agency disbanded last year, per Blacklock’s Reporter. The now retired John Knubley testifying by videoconference at the Commons Public Accounts Committee, appeared agitated as MPs accused him of a coverup surrounding Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC). Parliament has been gridlocked for two months over investigations into SDTC corruption. “I don’t have strong recall,” testified Knubley, who retired in 2019. Knubley said it was “not his job” to police ethics by cabinet appointees.“The mismanagement of conflicts that has marked the board at Sustainable Development Technology Canada, that never came to your attention?” asked Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith.“No,” replied Knubley.“Are you not concerned, looking back now, as to what happened?” asked NDP MP Lindsay Mathyssen.“I generally expected as a deputy minister that all agencies and departments I was responsible for would regularly develop, refine and implement policies for real or perceived conflict,” replied Knubley. “That was my job, to make it clear that was their responsibility.”.Liberal appointee denies personal benefit from $217K green tech subsidy.Cabinet disbanded the agency June 4 after auditors confirmed whistleblower complaints of widespread conflict by board members in awarding $856 million in subsidies to corporations. The auditor general counted 186 conflicts of interest.Knubley yesterday said ensuring compliance with ethics laws was not his responsibility. The Sustainable Development Technology Act specifically prohibited directors from profiting from their public duties.“You must be familiar with the Act?” asked Conservative MP Rick Perkins.“I am not terribly familiar with the Act and I am not a lawyer,” replied Knubley.“What I do know, first of all, it’s not my job.”“Even as a longstanding deputy minister, that is not my role to judge. That is the Ethics Commissioner’s role to judge.”“When board members 82% of the time were voting for themselves in contravention of the Act which you are responsible to parliament for as a deputy minister, you don’t believe it was your responsibility to know what was going on there?” asked Perkins.“Who are you covering up for?”Knubley did not comment..Green slush fund execs still eyeing bonuses despite grinding parliament to a halt for weeks.Conservative MP Kelly McCauley expressed disbelief over the testimony.“You were not aware?” he asked.“This is not like one case of conflict of interest or two or 10 or 15.”“How was all of this kept secret, this rampant conflict of interest with hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ money?”“How would I as a deputy minister necessarily be aware of these issues?” replied Knubley.Then-Industry Minister Navdeep Bains testified October 30 he too was unaware that SDTC directors were awarding millions’ worth of subsidies to friends and associates.“My responsibility was to appoint seven of the 15 board members,” said Bains.“Do you take responsibility?” asked Conservative MP Larry Brock.“I am answering the question,” replied Bains..Federal agency's 'Green Slush Fund' marred by conflicts of interest and mismanagement
