Ottawa, ON – James Bezan, Conservative Shadow Minister for National Defence, and Jeff Kibble, Conservative Shadow Minister for Defence Procurement, sent the following letter to the Prime Minister after reports emerged that the CEO of the Defence Investment Agency is expected to step down:
Dear Prime Minister,
Now more than ever, Canadians expect their government to act transparently and in the public interest, particularly where defence procurement is concerned: a matter that is at the heart of our sovereignty and our security after a decade of neglect has left our Canadian Armed Forces unprepared for the threats we face.
Reports have emerged that Doug Guzman, your handpicked CEO of the DIA, is expected to step down after just one year in that role.
Notably, the Globe and Mail’s sources claimed Guzman was “frustrated by the slow pace of government bureaucracy.” If true, this raises serious questions about the current state of our defence procurement system, and about whether the DIA is positioned to achieve its stated goals.
It should also be noted that these reports follow the sudden resignation of Laurel Broten as Chair of the Canada Investment Agency, mere weeks before the much-touted Canada Investment Summit, and her replacement by longtime Liberal insider Dominic Barton.
Turnover of this kind, with tens of billions in taxpayer dollars in play, has consequences far beyond corner offices and boardrooms. What is ultimately at stake is whether Canada has the equipment, and the industrial capacity, to defend Canada now and into the future.
We are asking you to provide clarity on whether Mr Guzman will remain in his present role and, if not, when an appropriate replacement will be selected. We also echo the concerns raised elsewhere of delays in moving defence procurement projects forward quickly and ensuring contracts are being signed in a timely manner.
We look forward to your response.