Controversial purchases of equipment more than half a billion in Quebec and Ottawa contracts

(Ottawa) Supermax Healthcare Canada Inc., the Canadian subsidiary of a Malaysian company suspected of having recourse to forced labor in the manufacture of personal protective equipment, won more than half a billion dollars in federal government and the Quebec governmentSince the start of the Cavid-19 pandemic, the press has learned.

Supermax Healthcare Canada Inc., which is stores in Longueuil, obtained the equivalent of $ 221 million in federal government contracts for the supply of disposable gloves.

To this sum, it is also necessary to add 330 million in contracts granted by the Government of Quebec for the purchase of personal protective equipment since the start of the pandemic, in March 2020, confirmed the Center for Government Acquisition (CAG).

Malaysian Society Supermax Corp.was put on the bench of the accused last month by the United States and the United Kingdom because it is suspected of having recourse to forced labor in the manufacture of its products.

Suspicions are such that the U.S.Customs and Border Protection launched last month a mandate to enter disposable gloves manufactured by Supermax Corp.and its subsidiaries at all points of entry in the United States.In Great Britain, a parliamentary committee recently launched an investigation, at the initiative of Labor deputies, in the wake of the announcement of the decision of the American authorities.

A parliamentary survey requested from Ottawa

In Ottawa, the opposition parties in turn demand the holding of a parliamentary investigation in order to shed light on the Trudeau government's decision to grant the equivalent of $ 221 million in contracts to the Canadian subsidiary ofA Malaysia company targeted by allegations of a form of modern slavery, forced work.

The Conservative Party, the NPD and the Bloc Québécois believe that such a survey is essential, since the Ministry of Public Services and Supply, responsible for the award of contracts, had been informed in January that Supermax Corp.was the subject of such allegations.

Le Ministère a fait des vérifications au début de l’année auprès de Supermax Healthcare Canada Inc.uniquely.But Ottawa decided to suspend the to come only after the American authorities announced the mandate to seize the products of Supermax Corp.and its subsidiaries in October.

"You can't turn round corners when it comes to human rights.It's scandalous, "protested the deputy chief of the NPD, Alexandre Boulerice.

There was obviously voluntary blindness on the part of the federal government in this case since the ministry was informed of allegations in January.A parliamentary investigation is essential.

Pierre Paul-Hus, deputy for the Conservative Party of Canada

"The pandemic does not in any way justify the award of important contracts to a company that does not respect human rights.It is forbidden to import goods from forced labor and nothing justifies that the government has not respected its own rules, "said deputy Julie Vignola, spokesperson for Quebec in terms of supply.

Supermax Corp.has started an independent firm to carry out a complete audit of its operations in accordance with the forced labor indicators of the International Labor Organization.The report of this audit is expected in mid-November.

Situation taken "very seriously" in Quebec

In Quebec, at the Cabinet of the Chairman of the Treasury Board, Sonia Lebel, we ensure the "very serious situation".The government acquisition center has confirmed to the press that it did with Supermax Healthcare Canada for the purchase of personal protective equipment for a total amount of 330 million since the start of the pandemic in March 2020.Quebec is currently not linked to any active contract with Supermax Healthcare Canada.

"Now, the government acquisition center has requested legal advice in order to know all the legal levers against companies referred to in this kind of allegation," said the office of Minister Lebel.CAG said it was informed of these allegations on October 20.

"We are always open to improving our contractual processes in light of this new information," it was added.For the time being, "during the process of contractual and acquisition, CAG requires that the contracting companies have all the certificates, standards, and accreditations issued by the bodies concerned, such as Health Canada",we.

The NPD and the Conservatives add it

According to MP Alexandre Boulerice, it is obvious that the federal government has not done its homework in this case.

You can't just do summary checks.The excuse of the pandemic, we cannot take it out in all sauces, especially when we talk about modern slavery.

Alexandre Boulerice, deputy for the new democratic party

Conservative deputy Pierre Paul-Hus argued that the Canadian government could have asked for an exhaustive report from his ambassador in Malaysia or in a neighboring country on the situation of workers' rights as soon as he was seized of allegations.

"What shocks me is that it was ultimately the United States that forced the Canadian government to act.We are trailer of American decisions.Several questions remain unanswered, ”he deplored.

Canada has a policy prohibiting the importation of goods produced by forced labor.This policy was even incorporated into the law of implementation of the Canada-US-Mexico agreement (ACEUM), the new free trade agreement negotiated by the three countries when the administration of Donald Trump was in powerin Washington.This law received the royal sanction on March 12, 2020.

Dans un communiqué de presse, Supermax Healthcare Canada Inc.said that he had offered "his full collaboration" to the Ministry of Public Services and Supply to shed light on the allegations that led to the decision of the American agency U.S.Customs and Border Protection to suspend the import of disposable gloves from its partner Supermax Corp.and some of its subsidiaries.