Green Fund Whistleblower Claims Vindication but Criticizes Accountability Gap
The man who exposed a culture of conflict of interest at the federal green fund now feels justified after an auditor general report confirmed his claims. However, he criticized the lack of accountability in the situation thus far.
The auditor general examined a selection of projects supported by SDTC, a foundation that supports green technology companies, and uncovered instances of board members allocating funds to themselves.
“The publication of the auditor general’s report in June marked the culmination of a two-year effort that I initiated to reveal how corrupt executives, board members, and insiders within the clean tech industry co-opted SDTC’s original mission,” stated the whistleblower during his second appearance before the committee.
Following the release of Auditor General Karen Hogan’s report, Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne, responsible for overseeing the fund, announced that SDTC projects would be integrated into the National Research Council.
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The whistleblower stated that the auditor’s report validated all the concerns he initially raised. He viewed Champagne’s decision to essentially dissolve SDTC as a significant response to the misconduct.
The whistleblower criticized Champagne for delaying action despite being aware of the allegations since early 2023. He accused Champagne of misleading MPs about when he learned of the allegations and influencing the recommendations in a review conducted by external firm Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton.
In October 2023, the government suspended funding to SDTC projects based on the review’s results.
“As soon as the allegations surfaced, my Department promptly addressed the situation,” Champagne stated in the June announcement.
The Epoch Times contacted Champagne’s office and SDTC for comments but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
First Contact with His MP
The whistleblower disclosed that the first person he raised concerns about SDTC with was Liberal MP George Chahal, his elected representative, during an SDTC event in May 2022.
“He assured me of taking the matter seriously and promised to connect me with the appropriate individuals in the federal government and the auditor general’s office,” the whistleblower stated, alleging that Chahal later declined to engage with him.
The Epoch Times reached out to Chahal for comments but did not receive a reply by publication time.
The whistleblower then sought out other avenues to report the issues, including the ethics commissioner and eventually the auditor general.
Michael Aquilino, legal counsel from the Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, informed the industry committee on Sept. 16 that Verschuren breached the Conflict of Interest Act 24 times.
Verschuren acknowledged the ethics commissioner’s findings but stated that she acted in good faith, based on legal advice, and established board practices that predated her tenure.
Conservative MPs have led the charge in the SDTC matter, labeling it a Liberal “slush fund,” while members from other parties have also expressed growing concerns.
Thus far, neither the RCMP nor the auditor general have raised any criminality concerns.
