Government Operations committee  I think overall for business to be done properly, broadly speaking, it has to be done openly and transparently. I think that when you're looking at procurement processes, there have to be clear guidelines in general. If departments don't talk to each other, if there's not an ability for that transparency to happen, then it makes it difficult to do business.

Government Operations committee  From our perspective, I think procurement reform is required. In advanced research or commercialization and innovation of projects, what has been done in the United States with the U.S. DARPA has been the model in what happens with procurement. That ties into the fact that there need to be fair and open procurement practices, and that's the thing we've called for at the chamber.

Government Operations committee  I'll start. Frankly, I think that the federal and provincial governments need to be talking to each other. Right now, there's a lack of coordination. We're seeing that happening with Health Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada and other departments not talking to their provincial counterparts.

Government Operations committee  I don't have any idea, Ms. Kusie, but I can say that those compliance costs are the result of different requirements and processes in different jurisdictions. The fact that it takes a lot of our SME members over a year or two just to be able to get a permit creates a hindrance to their ability to do business.

Government Operations committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair and honourable members, it is a pleasure to appear before you on behalf of 400 chambers of commerce and boards of trade and more than 200,000 businesses of all sizes from all sectors of the economy and from every part of the country. It will come as no surprise that the regulatory burden continues to be a growing concern for Canadian business.