Public Works officials were warned about Parliament contractor

Documents show the federal government received warning before handing a $9 million contract to renovate the West Block of Parliament Hill to a Montreal construction firm that was previously owned by the Hell’s Angels. L.M. Sauvé, described the Montreal architect managing the project as “one of the worst contractors [she] has dealt with,” won the contract after paying more than $100,000 to Tory lobbyist Gilles Varin. Varin then set up a meeting between contractor Paul Sauvé and a senior official inside the Public Works Ministry. Public Works officials were repeatedly warned to stay away from Sauvé while performing reference and background checks on the company. The RCMP is now investigating Varin’s lobbying activities. L.M. Sauve was awarded the contract in May 2008, but the company was ordered off the site in April 2009 after repeated problems, with the renovations now two years behind schedule.

The Chronicle Herald