Teletech, a controversial American call centre operator, is pulling up stakes and leaving the province after only four years of its five year agreement.
Back when she was innovation minister, Kathy Dunderdale offered the company $1.1 million annually in wage subsidies for five years in order set up shop in Mount Pearl. Controversy erupted when it turned out that the company had a string of labour relations lawsuits but Dunderdale’s department hadn’t noticed even though the suits are well documented on line.
Due diligence for dummies, Jack Harris called it at the time. He meant “google”. Harris was playing on Dunderdale’s love of meaningless phrases which came out in force as the minister faced pointed questions about her departments fairly obvious incompetence:
In another interview, the minister said that the outside companies hired to carry out the "due diligence piece" would not necessarily pick up these sorts of issues. So what were they looking for? Lint?
She also said this information turned up by reporters wouldn't have "negatively impacted" on government's decision, had it been known.
Observers will note that Dunderdale loves those meaningless phrases when she’s under pressure – as in this and countless other cases – and when she isn’t. It seems, as we suspected back then, that Dunderdale thinks this blather makes it sound like she knows what she is talking about when she likely doesn’t.
Interesting that the company never had to operate a single day in the province without a cash infusion from government.
Wonder where they are going next?
-srbp-