Evidence of meeting #21 for Industry, Science and Technology in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was ecbc.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:15 p.m.
Vice-President, Finance and Corporate Services, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
We're talking about the ACOA advisory board. It's an advisory board and they did not get involved in ACOA decisions. They provided advice on policies and programs of ACOA.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
What was the length of the board members' terms? Were they appointed for five years? Six years?
5:15 p.m.
Vice-President, Finance and Corporate Services, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
It's a three-year term.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
5:15 p.m.
Vice-President, Finance and Corporate Services, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Yes, they did, as per Treasury Board guidelines. I believe it would be in the range of $275 to $350.
5:15 p.m.
Vice-President, Finance and Corporate Services, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Per meeting.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
Per meeting.
Okay, thank you very much.
No further questions.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
5:15 p.m.
NDP
Raymond Côté NDP Beauport—Limoilou, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Ms. Frenette, I want to come back to the fate of the ACOA board members. The way things were handled, as far as losing their jobs goes, is rather troubling.
Were the board members advised of their impending fate before Bill C-31 was introduced in the House?
5:15 p.m.
Vice-President, Finance and Corporate Services, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
They received the news when the bill was introduced. If I'm not mistaken, they were spoken to beforehand, but not two or three weeks prior.
5:15 p.m.
NDP
Raymond Côté NDP Beauport—Limoilou, QC
Very well.
Did they get the news by way of an internal communication?
5:15 p.m.
Vice-President, Finance and Corporate Services, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Yes.
5:15 p.m.
NDP
Raymond Côté NDP Beauport—Limoilou, QC
Okay.
As per Bill C-31, board members will not receive any compensation for their termination.
Did anyone look into transition options for them further to the loss of their board positions?
5:15 p.m.
Vice-President, Finance and Corporate Services, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
I don't have that information, so I'm not able to answer that.
5:15 p.m.
NDP
Raymond Côté NDP Beauport—Limoilou, QC
Fine.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think I've covered the issue of favouritism and the matter of the expenditures being investigated by the Auditor General in relation to the ECBC reasonably well. I have no further questions for the moment.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
Thank you, Mr. Côté.
Our final questioner will be Mr. Van Kesteren.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
Madam Frenette, have you any closing remarks, anything you would like to cover before we adjourn?
5:20 p.m.
Vice-President, Finance and Corporate Services, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
I would like to respond to a question that I wasn't able to respond to earlier. The ECBC board is a seven-member board, including the chair of the board and the CEO.
5:20 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much, colleagues.
Very good, we'll adjourn the meeting now.
