During a committee hearing investigating Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) for allocating millions to Liberal insiders, the organization’s Vice President stated that it was not her job to report known conflicts of interest to the government. 

SDTC Vice President Zoe Kolbuc made the shocking statement on Monday while being grilled by Conservative MP Kelly McCauley. 

“It was not my responsibility to report those,” Kolbuc said. 

Kolbuc said she was aware of some conflicts, and that they were mentioned in minutes.

McCauley responded, “I’m sorry, you are a Vice President, and you didn’t believe it was your job to report these?”

“I’m just flabbergasted how this could happen,” McCauley said.

The Trudeau-funded group provided grants to small and medium-sized businesses specializing in sustainable technology, which has since been found to have allocated $123 million worth of contracts inappropriately, and $76 million to projects connected to Liberal insiders.

Kolbuc evaded giving direct answers to a number of questions, frustrating MPs questioning her role in the scandal.

A recent whistleblower who previously worked in the SDTC alleged widespread mismanagement and corruption had taken place within the group. The whistleblower, Israr Ahmad, said the SDTC has improperly funded nearly $150 million taxpayer dollars to businesses that had ties to SDTC executives themselves. Ahmad also accused Kolbuc of mistreating staff, which Kolbuc denied on Monday.  

He further said numerous SDTC employees brought up concerns of mismanagement of funds and almost all were subsequently fired. 

In July, Canada’s Ethics Commissioner ruled that former Chairperson of SDTC, Annette Verschuren, broke the law by violating Section 6(1) and 21 of the Conflict of Interest Act.