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EXCLUSIVE – The Canadian government fell victim to fraudulent practices at its embassy in Haiti from 2004 to 2016, resulting in losses of more than $1.7 million.
Allegations that emerged in 2015 sparked an extensive investigation within the Canadian government. Even the Comptroller General and Auditor General of Canada were made aware of the situation.
The State Department uncovered several schemes, including inflated invoices, embezzlement of goods that were supposed to be delivered to the mission, theft of goods and equipment reserves, and collusion between locally recruited personnel and suppliers.
In total, 17 locally hired employees were laid off, including 12 who worked for Global Affairs Canada and 5 for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
No one has been criminally charged. An administrative investigation is still ongoing.
The RCMP, in turn, could be tasked with investigating.
Ottawa has severed its ties with the companies affected by this investigation. It's impossible to know what they are and whether they are Canadian.
The Ministry also assures that the international assistance program and humanitarian intervention have not been affected or interrupted following the devastation caused by Hurricane Matthew.
A difficult working environment
A March 29, 2016 document for the Secretary of State, obtained by Radio-Canada under the Access to Information Act, allows us to understand the context in which this fraud took place.
The investigation found the embassy faced a “difficult environment” where “staff turnover occurred frequently.”
The “long transition periods” between the last Canadian ambassadors in Port-au-Prince were also highlighted.
Ambassadors from other countries interviewed by investigators said the risks of such misdeeds “increased exponentially” in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. The disaster led to significant disruptions in supply chains and business practices.
The State Department said it had made the necessary corrections and was taking the situation “extremely seriously.”
The investigation is ongoing
An administrative investigation by the Government of Canada continues to determine whether Canadian workers “still employed by the Government of Canada” were involved in these programs.
A foreign affairs spokeswoman, Jocelyn Sweet, said the department was “exploring its recovery options” to recoup the lost amounts. Ottawa is avoiding giving too many details so as not to “jeopardize these efforts,” the spokesman said.
The department has launched proactive reviews at other Canadian missions around the world to check whether the same practices, described as “serious misconduct,” could be taking place elsewhere. These tests are still ongoing.
Since then, special instructions have been sent to all Canadian mission heads and managers to help them prevent such frauds. Training programs have also been improved.
When asked about this, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau assured on Thursday that the government is carefully considering the further course of this matter. He emphasized the importance of an honest messaging system.
“People need to have trust when speaking to Canadians, whether in an embassy or elsewhere.” [qu’]they are treated well, [que] It is their interests and the interests of the country that are well represented, not personal financial interests,” Mr. Trudeau said.
Global Affairs Canada has identified five additional international missions that will undergo a review of their management practices:
- Nairobi, Kenya)
- Moscow, Russia)
- Abuja (Nigeria)
- New Delhi, India)
- Algiers (Algeria)
With information from Louis Blouin
Incurable food practitioner. Tv lover. Award-winning social media maven. Internet guru. Travel aficionado.
