Transport Committee on May 30th, 2007

[André Morency]

Correct.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Did the department make such recommendations to the government?

[André Morency]

No. As you know, the NCC is a crown corporation under Transport Canada. The department advises the minister on issues relating to the NCC's mandate, but the department does not necessarily take part in such decisions.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

So, Transport Canada did not make any recommendations to allocate or transfer this money to the NCC.

[André Morency]

No, Transport Canada did not make a recommendation to the Treasury Board.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

So, this comes from the government and not from the public service, right?

[André Morency]

The current government made the decision.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Okay, I understand.

I'm now clear, Mr. Chairman.

I expect it won't carry, but I think, out of appropriateness, because there is no explanation given as to why this money comes from Transport Canada.... I'm not denying that it could come from a source of some sort, but there has to be an explanation or rationale and there isn't any offered. So in that sense I do believe we should consider--although I know it won't be carried, but we should do it for the sake of form--reducing vote 1 by $23,000, because I think it's been rounded off.

And I so move.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

It has been moved by Monsieur Bélanger, and perhaps I'll just get you to say it one more time so that Mark can--

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

I move that vote 1 be reduced by $23,000.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

The motion has been made by Mr. Bélanger to reduce vote 1 by $23,000.

Mr. Jean.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

I do understand that this lease was done by the current government in order to plan for the expansion of its health care campus, and as such I understand that Mr. Bélanger does not want them to expand the health care campus.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Are there other comments?

Monsieur Laframboise.

[Mario Laframboise, Bloc, Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC]

One moment. I simply want to understand, because you don't seem convinced of what you are saying. Perhaps we are not talking to the right person. I don't believe that Mr. Bélanger is opposed to the $1 reimbursement for the lease. He is simply wondering if it is legal. You seem to be saying there is nothing to prevent Transport Canada from writing a cheque to the NCC and then, the NCC—

[André Morency]

No with regard to the budget before you and under your consideration, the adjustments were already made. No money was transferred. Last year, as Mr. Jean said, money was transferred from Transport Canada's vote 1 to the NCC's vote 45. This was part of the supplementary budgets and was approved.

In the main estimates before you, the adjustments have already been made. This means that Transport Canada's budget was reduced and that $23,000 in compensation was paid into the NCC's budget.

[Mario Laframboise, Bloc, Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC]

So, in other words, I don't need to worry about it. Okay, great.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Monsieur Bélanger.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Mr. Chairman, that is not what we were told. We must be careful. On May 7, we received confirmation that the breakdown of the $318 million amount, I believe, demonstrated that, in fact, $23,000 was going to the NCC. That is what we were told. We were promised a written breakdown of the amount, but we have not received it.

[André Morency]

The $318 million amount does not include the $23,000 going to the NCC.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

That is completely different information from what we were told on May 7. You can check. The deputy minister had confirmed on May 7 that this amount was part of the $318 million and that we would find the $23,000 in the details of the breakdown that the minister had promised to provide us. Now, you're telling me that this is not the case.

[André Morency]

No, I believe that what they were trying to say was that the department's budget and the NCC's budget were adjusted in that amount.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

So, it is permanent.

[André Morency]

Correct.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

So, until 2013, the Transportation budget has already been cut by $23,000—

[André Morency]

Correct.