Government Operations Committee on Feb. 13th, 2014

[The Chair, NDP, Pierre-Luc Dusseault]

Order, please.

Today is February 13, 2014, and I am chairing the 11th meeting of the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates. Thank you for being here. As agreed last week, we are continuing to study committee business.

I have received two notices of motion since the last meeting, and a number of other topics are on the agenda. As you know, the supplementary estimates (C) will be tabled today and could be added to our agenda. In addition, officials from the Treasury Board said they wanted to start meeting with us next Tuesday to discuss the supplementary estimates (C).

You have also probably received a rather long list of the orders of reference submitted to the committee. I am not sure if any of the topics on the list are of particular interest to you.

At the last meeting before the holiday season, one presentation had to be cancelled and the witness suggested coming back in the winter. The presentation can be added to our agenda for a meeting in the next few weeks. They were the representatives from the Canada Lands Company, including the Old Port of Montreal Corporation and Downsview Park. As you know, the meeting was cancelled due to availability issues. I am not sure whether the committee would still like to hold that meeting.

Mr. Trottier, you have the floor.

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I think when it comes to those agencies and crown corporations, the appropriate time for them to come before the committee is when they table their annual report to Parliament. They would have their information that they're presenting to the public and it would give us the opportunity to ask questions about that.

My understanding is they typically table their annual reports to Parliament in the April and May timeframe. We don't know exactly when those will be tabled, but I think that's what we should do. In terms of general planning for future business, it's a good time to have them come in.

[The Chair, NDP, Pierre-Luc Dusseault]

Your comment is well taken.

The first proposal has to do with the supplementary estimates (C), which will be tabled today. The Treasury Board proposed to provide us with an overview of those estimates on February 25. Would the members of the committee like to receive the officials from the Treasury Board on February 25? This topic would take up the entire meeting.

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

If I could make a suggestion, we have a couple of motions that I think we have to discuss at some point this morning. I think we should have the supplementary estimates (C) discussions on February 27, just because I think we need to discuss a witness list for the motions on the 25th .

Assuming at least one of those motions gets passed, I think there will be some homework we'll need to do as committee members to come up with some witness lists and then have a further discussion on the 25th. If we could set aside the 25th for a future business discussion, getting into some details around our witness list....

I recommend on the 27th that we bring in Treasury Board supplementary estimates (C) as well as Shared Services Canada supplementary estimates (C). I notice there are some material changes to their estimates. If you brought them in for one hour each, I think that would be a productive meeting on the 27th.

[The Chair, NDP, Pierre-Luc Dusseault]

I cannot make any assumptions about the motions.

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Does that make sense?

[The Chair, NDP, Pierre-Luc Dusseault]

I am waiting to hear the motions so that we can discuss them. No motion has yet been moved before the committee.

Mr. Martin, go ahead.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Chairman, you mentioned the supplementary estimates (C). Have we seen the supplementary estimates (C)? They haven't been—

[The Chair, NDP, Pierre-Luc Dusseault]

The information I have is that they will be tabled today.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

They're being tabled today, so you've seen them already, Bernard.

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

There was nothing in Public Works. There were no supplementary estimates (C), but both Treasury Board and Shared Services Canada had some changes, so it would be appropriate for both of them to come in.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

I was just wondering how you would know whom to call when no one should have seen the supplementary estimates (C) until they were presented to Parliament, but presumably somebody on your team shows them to you first.

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Hot off the presses.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

I see. I always suspected that.

[Gordon O'Connor, Carleton—Mississippi Mills, CPC]

I know nothing.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Me neither, Gord. We're in the same boat.

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

The 27th, I think, would be a productive one hour each on their supplementary estimates (C) where we can question them.

[The Chair, NDP, Pierre-Luc Dusseault]

Of course, that will depend on the witnesses' availability.

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Mr. Chair, the main estimates are tabled shortly thereafter, so I was going to suggest that we have Public Works come in to defend their main estimates, or to explain their main estimates, on Tuesday, March 4.

Defend, propose, promote—

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

—apologize.

[A voice]

Which date?

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Tuesday, March 4.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

So we can expect the main estimates...?

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

They are tabled at the beginning of March. I suggest that be a two-hour meeting for the minister and/or officials.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

I think you should delete the word “or”. We've lost the ability to call the minister for any other estimates. Surely, surely, we can expect the minister to come.