Evidence of meeting #73 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was amendment.
A video is available from Parliament.
5:55 p.m.
Conservative
5:55 p.m.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Mr. Chair, I was going to ask a question about what the witness just clarified.
My understanding—and I just want to get it repeated—is that, essentially, someone who is in the public service can apply for the job. What this amendment would require is that the person from the public service, if they were indeed selected, would simply have to resign from the public service immediately prior to their appointment and they could still be appointed.
Is that a correct understanding?
5:55 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, People and Culture, Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer, Treasury Board Secretariat
Yes, it is, and that's what happens now, because you cannot both work for the government as a federal public servant and be appointed by the GIC.
5:55 p.m.
NDP
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
Just to wrap up again, I've outlined the case around the concerns raised by the Auditor General, judges in the judicial review and the focus group.
I'm going to move to a vote, but this is something we've heard loud and clear, so I'm hoping that we'll support it.
5:55 p.m.
The Clerk
The vote is five yeas and five nays.
5:55 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
I'm going to vote against on this one. Thank you.
(Amendment negatived: nays 6; yeas 5 [See Minutes of Proceedings])
We have NDP-20.
Mr. Johns.
5:55 p.m.
NDP
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
NDP-20 is no longer relevant, so I'll withdraw NDP-20 and NDP-21.
5:55 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
We just won't put them forward.
(On clause 34)
We are now on G-10.1, which is on page 41.1 of our package.
5:55 p.m.
Liberal
5:55 p.m.
Conservative
5:55 p.m.
Conservative
5:55 p.m.
Liberal
Greg Fergus Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
Very briefly, Mr. Chair, this is a consequential amendment to a vote that we took much earlier in our first meeting and was carried by the committee. This is just ensuring that we have the ability to refer this to more than one person, so that a complainant has more than one person to access to disclose their complaint to if they have a complaint to make.
5:55 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
Okay. We'll move to a vote.
(Amendment agreed to on division [See Minutes of Proceedings])
(Clause 34 as amended agreed to on division)
Colleagues, clauses 35 to 40 have no amendments.
Can we have UC to bunch them, or do we wish to address them individually?
6 p.m.
Liberal
Greg Fergus Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
If the chair would seek it, I only have a couple of.... I have one clause that I'd like to negate. It would be clause 38. I'd be happy to speak to that if appropriate.
6 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
We need to discuss clause 38.
Can we have UC to carry clauses 35, 36 and 37 and group them together on division?
(Clauses 35 to 37 inclusive agreed to on division)
(On clause 38)
We have Mr. Fergus on clause 38.
6 p.m.
Liberal
Greg Fergus Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
Clause 38 is one where I think we have to ask a question. It proposes that the bill seek consent from individuals to disclose their involvement in an investigation. I can easily understand why the complainant wouldn't mind disclosing, but the person who's being complained about I doubt would give their consent. I'm just not certain of the utility of this provision of the act.
6 p.m.
Bloc
Julie Vignola Bloc Beauport—Limoilou, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I would ask for a moment to review the proposed text. It states: “The Commissioner and every person acting on behalf of or under the direction of the Commissioner may disclose the identity of any person involved in the disclosure process, including that of a person making a disclosure, a witness...”. Further on, with respect to the disclosure of information obtained in the course of an investigation, it states: “Subject to other provisions...”.
What was your concern, Mr. Fergus?
6 p.m.
Liberal
Greg Fergus Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
If the consent of each person is required, I find it hard to see why a person involved in a reprisal complaint would have any interest in giving their consent to have their identity disclosed.
6 p.m.
Conservative
6 p.m.
Liberal
Greg Fergus Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
Mr. Chair, I'd like to know if the officials can answer the question.
6 p.m.
Conservative
