Government will review RCMP contract awarded to China-linked company | 24CA News
The federal authorities is reviewing an RCMP gear contract awarded to an organization with ties to China’s authorities that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau known as “disconcerting.”
Trudeau mentioned the federal government may also re-examine its method to procurement.
A Radio-Canada investigation discovered that Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) awarded Sinclair Technologies a contract price $549,637 final 12 months to construct and preserve a radio frequency (RF) filtering system for the Mounties.
While Sinclair is predicated in Ontario, its dad or mum firm Norsat International has been owned by Chinese telecommunications agency Hytera since 2017. The Chinese authorities owns about 10 per cent of Hytera via an funding fund.
PSPC mentioned in response to Radio-Canada’s inquiries that it didn’t think about safety considerations or Sinclair’s possession within the bidding course of. Radio-Canada confirmed via sources with information of the matter that the distinction between Sinclair’s bid and that of its competitor, Quebec-based Comprod, was lower than $60,000.
Trudeau mentioned Wednesday morning that his authorities will look into the matter and can study the function safety performs in authorities procurement.
“Absolutely, we’re going to be finding out first of all what needs to be done to ensure that our communications technology is secure, but also make sure we’re figuring out how this could continue to happen and make sure that Canada is not signing contracts with the lowest bidder that then turn around and leave us exposed to security flaws,” he advised a news convention.
“We will have some real questions for the independent public service that signed these contracts, and we’ll make sure that this is changed going forward. It’s high time that happens.”
WATCH | Trudeau: ‘We can have some actual questions’ about contract for RCMP gear with Chinese-linked firm
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responds to report a few federal contract for RCMP communications gear awarded to an organization with ties to China
Part of the RF system’s perform is to safe the RCMP’s land-based radio communications. An RCMP spokesperson advised Radio-Canada that set up of the gear has began in Ontario and Saskatchewan, and that any contractor engaged on the gear has to get a safety clearance.
The news comes after Canadian nationwide safety organizations have warned about threats to Canadian democracy and establishments posed by international actors, together with China. The federal authorities additionally lately unveiled its Indo-Pacfic Strategy, which features a plan to confront an ‘more and more disruptive’ China.
Trudeau mentioned Wednesday he finds it “disconcerting” that whereas safety businesses had been “advising us as a government and as Canadians that we have to be very careful about foreign interference in our institutions … other parts of the civil service were signing contracts that have questionable levels of security for our operations and our national security institutions like the RCMP.”
WATCH | Government is taking a look at RCMP contract with China-linked firm ‘ very fastidiously’: Mendicino
Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino says his workplace will look right into a contract to offer and preserve RCMP communications gear that was awarded to an organization with ties to the Chinese authorities.
Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino mentioned Wednesday that division officers are analyzing the RCMP contract.
“We’re eyes wide open about the threats that are posed by hostile state and non-state actors, and that includes [China],” he advised a media scrum.
“What I’ve done, in the light of this report, is to instruct my officials to look very closely at the details of that contract and also to work with our officials to review the process by which this contract was awarded.”
A Sinclair Technologies govt declined an interview with Radio-Canada on the gear and the contract, citing buyer confidentiality.
The United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) banned the sale and import of Hytera merchandise in 2021, citing nationwide safety considerations.
Hytera can be dealing with 21 fees in an American espionage case. The United States Department of Justice has accused the corporate of conspiring to steal commerce secrets and techniques from American telecommunications firm Motorola. Hytera has denied the allegations.
Opposition leaders criticize authorities over contract
Speaking with reporters earlier than query interval Wednesday, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre known as on the federal government to terminate the contract and known as on Trudeau to take accountability for it.
“Yes, it should be cancelled, and Justin Trudeau is responsible. He’s the head of government and this is a government contract,” Poilievre mentioned.
Poilievre mentioned the American fees in opposition to Hytera ought to have been trigger for concern about Sinclair’s bid.
He added the federal government ought to restrict its sources for gear purchases.
“We as a government, we as a country, should not allow countries and government-owned enterprises that are known for espionage to sell technology that is related to our telecommunications,” Poilievre mentioned.
WATCH | ‘He’s head of presidency and it is a authorities contract’: Poilievre
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh responds to a report a few federal contract for RCMP communications gear awarded to an organization with ties to China.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh mentioned the American authorities’s determination to blacklist Hytera ought to have been a pink flag for the federal authorities.
“You would think that Canada would go through the proper protocol to make sure our information, as sensitive as it is with a federal policing agency, is not being subject to a serious threat or breach,” Singh advised a news convention.
“I’m deeply concerned, I think that there is a real risk here, and it shows that the government did not take the appropriate steps to vet this project or the company.”
WATCH | Singh calls RCMP gear contract with China-linked firm ‘stunning’
Singh known as on the federal government to make adjustments to its procurement course of.
“There needs to be a better process in place to protect our privacy and our security for our information systems — particularly given that this is now being identified as the major security risk to our country,” Singh mentioned.
Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne mentioned Wednesday that the federal government ought to examine the RCMP contract.
“We need to remain more vigilant to prevent things like that, and understand the why and how something can happen at a moment where we know that we have to take care of geopolitical challenges with respect to China,” Champagne mentioned Wednesday in a media scrum.
“So we need to be very mindful of what happened and I think every branch of government needs to apply that level of scrutiny.”
