Government Operations Committee on June 4th, 2013

Evidence of meeting #92 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was company.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Integrity Provisions for Procurement and Real Property Transactions
Committee Business

MPs speaking

Pat Martin
Linda Duncan
Ron Cannan
Denis Blanchette
Bernard Trottier
John McCallum
Jacques Gourde
Mathieu Ravignat
Dan Albas

Also speaking

Michelle d'Auray  Deputy Minister, Deputy Receiver General for Canada, Department of Public Works and Government Services
Barbara Glover  Assistant Deputy Minister, Departmental Oversight Branch, Department of Public Works and Government Services

12:55 p.m.

Deputy Minister, Deputy Receiver General for Canada, Department of Public Works and Government Services

Michelle d'Auray

I would say the way we run our processes, there is no ministerial involvement. When there is a commitment to meet a timeline for a process, we are encouraged to meet the timeline. But in terms of our procurement—and I don't want to comment on what other jurisdictions do or don't do—there is no ministerial involvement.

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

Dan Albas Conservative Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC

I think, Mr. Chair, that's where I'm cut off?

12:55 p.m.

NDP

The Chair NDP Pat Martin

You have a few seconds.

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

Dan Albas Conservative Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC

Again, a good process has a start and a finish. You open the bids, bids come in, and then you close the process. Then you decide through your regular mechanisms. I can understand that there are some issues here, but I think we have one of the strongest processes in the world. In fact, I checked the OECD website, Mr. Chair. Canada ranks quite highly in terms of transparency and proper process.

Thank you again, witnesses. I appreciate your being here.

12:55 p.m.

NDP

The Chair NDP Pat Martin

On that note, we do have to suspend the meeting briefly. We thank our witnesses for their attendance.

I will ask committee members to please hold their seats for two or three minutes of committee business. We'll ask anyone who shouldn't be in the room at an in camera meeting to please clear the room.

[Proceedings continue in camera]