Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Good morning to all.

My name is Ziyad Rahme. I'm here as the chief operating officer of Sustainable Development Technology Canada.

I'm speaking to you today from the traditional lands of the Anishinabe Algonquin nation.

Firstly, thank you, Mr. Chair, and all committee members, for your accommodation and flexibility in scheduling this appearance. I underwent a planned surgery in August. Recovery continues, so I may need to walk around or stand periodically at some points during our time together. Thank you in advance for your understanding.

I joined SDTC eight years ago. I primarily served as the vice-president of investments, reporting to the CEO.

I am an engineer by background and a former entrepreneur, and spent most of my career working for a clean tech start-up.

As VP of investments, I worked with SDTC experts who reviewed and recommended projects to the board and its committees for funding. We gave advice. Following a defined process, the board made decisions and we monitored progress.

I also served as the acting chief executive officer for SDTC from November 2023 to June 2024. In this capacity, I was responsible for finalizing and implementing the detailed management action and response plan submitted to the Department of Industry in December 2023.

As the committee knows, on June 4, 2024, a new board of directors was appointed. At that time, I transitioned to the role of chief operating officer to support the new board in its mandate to implement the recommendations of the Auditor General, restart funding for Canadian clean technology companies, both those previously approved for funding and new applicants, and transition SDTC programming and staff to the National Research Council.

The new board's work is informed by the extensive and comprehensive reviews completed over the past year, including the Auditor General's report, the McCarthy Tétrault report and the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner's reports.

In my role as chief operating officer, I am responsible for implementing the direction of the new board of directors, supporting the transition to the NRC and providing leadership support and continuity for the employees to help retain their critical expertise and skills. I am focused on supporting the new board's decisions, guiding our employees through the present situation and preparing them for the future.

I am here today to support this committee in its study of the Auditor General's report into Sustainable Development Technology Canada. I understand and respect Parliament's role and your work. I'm also keenly aware of my obligations as a public sector leader.

I want to take this opportunity to respond to a specific finding that was highlighted in the Auditor General's report related to a conflict of interest I had disclosed to the former CEO. As I told the Auditor General and her team, I declared to the former CEO a perceived conflict related to the firm at which my spouse is employed, as required by our policy, and recused myself from any and all involvement in procurement processes related to said HR and associated recruitment.

I want to reconfirm that my spouse had no role in the search for former board directors, nor have I had any role in the awarding of any contract at the firm at which she is employed.

I also want to confirm that I have had no involvement in the recruitment of any board directors.

I am pleased to support the new board in reviewing and implementing the recommendations of the Auditor General and others. These reviews will make our support of Canada's innovative clean-tech sector even stronger.

Since its inception, SDTC has supported hundreds of companies. Through this programming, these companies have created over 26,000 jobs, leveraged seven dollars for every dollar of SDTC support, and delivered strong environmental benefits in Canada and around the world. As we transition employees from SDTC to the NRC and evolve our approach to supporting clean-tech innovation, the conclusions of the Auditor General, McCarthy Tétrault, and the Conflict of Interest Commissioner provide clear guidance on the road ahead. The new board is focused on that. My colleagues and I are supporting them in implementing their decisions, and we are committed to delivering results for clean-tech companies and all Canadians.

With that, I'm happy to answer the committee's questions.

Thank you.