Originally published April 19, 2021
Stephen Covey, the famous educator, author, businessperson, and
keynote speaker, has been quoted as saying "[i]f you want to
get something done, give it to someone busy." That is
certainly true for the Canadian International Trade Tribunal's
mandate overseeing federal government contracting.
The Tribunal (or CITT) is designated by various external trade
agreements and the internal Canadian Free Trade Agreement
("CFTA"), as the bid challenge
(complaint) authority for federal government procurement.
The CITT states in its Procurement Inquiries - Guide that
"Parliament has enacted legislation designed to ensure that
the procurements covered by the trade agreements are conducted in
an open, fair and transparent manner and, wherever possible, in a
way that maximizes competition." Certainly, the Tribunal does
not shy away from its responsibilities in those respects.
