Ottawa pays out over $100K to Quebec group that lost contract for Afghan war monument
The recent out-of-court settlement between Ottawa and a team of Quebec architects who were denied a prestigious contract to design the National Monument to Canada’s Mission in Afghanistan has sparked controversy and raised questions about the integrity of the process.
The confidential deal, reportedly worth more than $100,000, was reached after the Daoust team, led by Montreal-based architect Renée Daoust, learned that despite winning a national competition to design the $5-million monument, the contract would be awarded to the group led by Indigenous artist Adrian Stimson.
The Daoust team’s concept had impressed the jury of the design competition launched in 2019, but the federal government ultimately decided to give the contract to Stimson’s group, citing support from the families of Canadians who served in Afghanistan through an online survey.
Critics, including architecture professor Jean-Pierre Chupin, have raised concerns about the flawed decision-making process, questioning the legitimacy of using an online survey to override the jury’s selection. Chupin likened the survey to a popularity contest on social media, rather than a fair and transparent evaluation of the design submissions.
The Daoust team’s proposal aimed to symbolize the struggle for democracy, incorporating elements reflective of Afghanistan’s landscape and history, while the Stimson design focused more directly on the military aspect of the Afghan mission.
Despite being offered $34,000 in compensation by Ottawa to settle the matter, the Daoust team chose to go public and challenge the government’s decision in the media and in Parliament. Their efforts to reverse the decision were unsuccessful, leading to the out-of-court settlement.
The settlement negotiations began after the blessing of the future monument site in downtown Ottawa last fall. The construction of the monument, as designed by the Stimson team, is set to begin this spring.
The office of the minister of veterans affairs has declined to disclose details of the settlement, citing confidentiality. However, Bloc Québécois MP Luc Desilets hopes that the settlement includes punitive damages for the Daoust team, believing that the federal government was “caught red-handed” in its handling of the contract award.
The controversy surrounding the National Monument to Canada’s Mission in Afghanistan has raised concerns about the impact on Canadian veterans and their families. Chupin fears that the integrity of the project has been compromised, ultimately dishonoring those who served overseas.
As the monument project moves forward, it is essential for Ottawa to uphold transparency and fairness in the process to ensure that the sacrifices of Canadian veterans are properly honored.
