Government Operations Committee on Nov. 3rd, 2009

[Rob Anders, Conservative, Calgary West, AB]

Let me put it this way to my witnesses here. I would think that, given the fact that these members across the way like to take photographs of members handing out cheques and circulate them, for them to ask questions about other people who take pictures with cheques seems a little bit misplaced. It seems to me as though they're going after something they do themselves--

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

On a point of order, Ms. Hall Findlay, go ahead.

[Martha Hall Findlay, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

My point of order, Madam Chair, relates to comments that we made. Unless there's a political party logo on that cheque, it doesn't relate at all to anything that I have said today or in the specific complaints that we have made.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Thank you.

Okay, Mr. Anders--

[Martha Hall Findlay, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

Apparently my honourable colleague has completely missed the point of the challenge that we're facing with Conservative Party logos and branding in government advertising. It's quite a different thing.

[Rob Anders, Conservative, Calgary West, AB]

I'm sure--

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Okay.

Mr. Anders, finish your question, please.

[Rob Anders, Conservative, Calgary West, AB]

Of course I will.

I think it would behoove us all to do a close up on that cheque to see whether or not any of those Liberal Party members' names appear or if there happens to be a red “L”, but I think the point is fairly moot.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Thank you very much.

Ms. Hall Findlay, we'll have a short question from you, because Mr. Holder wants to ask a short question.

I will enforce time. I will actually cut you off and ask that the microphone be cut off.

Go ahead.

[Martha Hall Findlay, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

I shall ask for a quick response, because I have a notice of motion that I'd like to present as part of my question. But I'll make just one quick comment.

In the presentation, Mr. Wouters, you talked about part of the responsibility being to inform Canadians using the project map website. I will reiterate that we are wholly supportive of that. I am disturbed by the comments that it is so understaffed and under-budgeted, because we really would love to see information the way the United States is giving information to its population, about projects actually being funded, not just announced, jobs being created other than jobs for sign-makers.

In the U.S., the recovery.gov website has an incredible amount of detailed information, not just announcements, not just commitments. I wholly support this.

My question, though, relates to the billboards and the expected continuing expenditures. From the piece this morning, we understand that the government has already installed close to 2,500 billboards and that another 4,000 have been ordered. Three weeks ago on a television panel, I had an exchange with a member of the Conservative government and raised the point that we understood billboards were being planned. He said there was no such plan; that there was no plan to put up billboards advertising the economic action plan.

Clearly that's not correct. Clearly there is a billboard campaign. Can somebody please confirm that it is in fact correct that, in addition to 2,500, another 4,000 have been ordered, and give some idea of the cost of the anticipated continuing rollout of billboard advertising?

[Simon Kennedy]

Madam Chair, the question on cost has already been answered in terms of how it could be compiled. But I can confirm that the number of expected signs would be roughly comparable to the number of projects on the website, which is around 6,500 to 7,000.

[Martha Hall Findlay, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

These are billboards. These are not signs associated with projects. These are billboards across the country.

[Simon Kennedy]

I'm not aware of any plan that would have that many billboards installed.

[Martha Hall Findlay, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

It's from Le Devoir this morning that 2,500 have already been done and another 4,000 ordered.

[Wayne Wouters]

Maybe they misinterpreted signs for billboards. We have signs.

[Simon Kennedy]

Madam Chair, I can leave the committee our signage guide, which clearly states when it is necessary to have a billboard and when a small sign is required.

[Martha Hall Findlay, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

If it's signs for projects, I understand. It was for a communication, so that's true. However, we didn't anticipate—

[Simon Kennedy]

—having such a large number of billboards, no, not at all.

[Martha Hall Findlay, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

Merci beaucoup. Thank you very much for that.

Let me put a notice of motion to the committee. We had the Minister of Transport the other day confirm that he had given to the Parliamentary Budget Officer 4,500-plus pages of documents.

Shall I just quickly read the motion?

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Sure.

Yes, she has the time.

Quickly, please.

[Martha Hall Findlay, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

We have copies for everybody.

It is:That Infrastructure Canada be ordered to provide in electronic format to the clerk of the committee no later than November 9, 2009, a copy of all documents that were provided to the Parliamentary Budget Officer on Thursday, October 29, 2009, for the conduct of his financial analysis with regard to the implementation of the Economic Action Plan.

[Ed Holder, Conservative, London West, ON]

A point of order, Madam Chair.

[Martha Hall Findlay, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

It was referred to in committee, so this is a notice of motion that we're putting forward.

[Ed Holder, Conservative, London West, ON]

That's not my point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

It's just a notice of motion; we don't need to do anything. We'll distribute it, and then—