From today's headlines first and then a response from one of the key players:
The federal government introduced new documents Thursday that show former MP Rahim Jaffer's company sought as much as $135 million in federal government grants or loans for three different business projects, revelations that amount to potentially damning new evidence against Jaffer and his wife, MP Helena Guergis.
Jaffer's company was promoting one project involving a division of Wright Tech Systems, the documents show. Guergis, on her MP letterhead, sent a letter last September to a municipal council in her riding asking the council to consider doing business with Wright Tech for a waste-management project.
Jaffer wanted his former Conservative colleagues to sign off on a $100-million government grant to the Wright Tech business unit known as Green Rite Solutions, the documents indicate.
… in the spring of 2009, Glemaud met with [Infrastructure Minister John Baird's Parliamentary Secretary Brian] Jean and, at that meeting, gave him the executive summaries of business plans for two projects. One project for Green Rite Solutions, was seeking $100 million in financing … Jean took no action on the third proposal, which described how Green Rite Solutions was hopeful of securing $100 million in federal financing.
…on Sept. 10, Guergis sent a letter on the letterhead of her MP constituency office to her cousin, Tony Guergis, who was then the warden of Simcoe Country. In that letter, Guergis recommended that Simcoe County consider Wright Tech for some municipal waste-management services. Wright Tech is the parent company behind Green Rite Solutions, the proponent of the project that Glemaud and Jaffer's company had told Jean needed $100 million in federal financing.
Here's the response for Wright Tech/Green Rite:
Wright Tech Systems, Gillani and Jaffer; Setting the record Straight
“We never had any financial dealings with Gillani or Jaffer” – Jim Wright, Chairman Wright Tech Systems.
“At no time has Wright Tech Systems or Green Rite Solutions had any financial dealings with Nazim Gillani or Rahim Jaffer” states Jim Wright, owner of Wright Tech Systems Inc. and partner in Green Rite Solutions Inc. Mr. Wright states further that “At no time has either Gillani or Jaffir had any financial interest in these companies; at no time have any payments of any kind been made between any of these parties. We certainly never discussed lobby efforts.”
Wright Tech Inc. and its marketing division, Green Rite Solutions Inc., met these individuals in the course of promoting their advanced waste conversion technology in Canada and abroad. Capital funding meetings and institutional marketing efforts have brought them into contact with diverse financial interests over the years.
Meetings were arranged with Gillani in the firm's Richmond Hill boardroom specifically to assess potential financial opportunities. These were preliminary, exploratory and fact-finding initiatives only, says Wright. Nazim Gillani’s involvement ended after several meetings. Mr. Jaffer was introduced to Wright Tech and Green Rite Solutions at a meeting chaired by Gillani and held at La Castile Steak House, the only time Gillani and Jaffer were together with respect to these companies. During subsequent meetings with Mr. Jaffer Wright observes that Rahim Jaffer “appeared to always act in good faith but did not bring any substance to the discussions”. Further involvement with Mr. Jaffir was terminated shortly thereafter when it became apparent that in order to receive any funding all of the effort was to be provided by Green Rite Solutions and Wright Tech.
The summary sheet that was sent by GPG and evidenced in the parliamentary hearing was an internal communication from Green Power Generation. Wright says it was planned for their use to ascertain investor interest in the Wright Tech system. Further, neither Wright Tech Systems nor Green Rite Solutions was involved in the creation of said documents beyond providing data about their system’s Canadian market potential.
“It is my belief that allegations against MP Helena Guergis Simcoe-Grey as to impropriety or conflict of interest are misguided as regards this matter.” Mr. Wright recalls having spoken with Ms. Guergis once briefly on the telephone– and as a private constituent – about the merits of his technology for use in Simcoe County. He also had a similar discussion in person with Simcoe North MPP Garfield Dunlop as to the merits of the technology for waste management in Simcoe County. Neither discussion, to his knowledge, had any result.