Evidence of meeting #21 for COVID-19 Pandemic in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

12:35 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

The honourable minister.

12:35 p.m.

Québec Québec

Liberal

Jean-Yves Duclos LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'm delighted to take this question and to signal both the urgency and transparency of our actions, especially in the current context. We look forward to providing the support the Auditor General requires, as we've done over the last few years. We know how important the work is, and we'll continue to work with the Auditor General.

12:35 p.m.

Conservative

Tim Uppal Conservative Edmonton Mill Woods, AB

Mr. Chair, they say they want to work with the Auditor General, and that's nice to hear, but the fact is the former interim auditor general testified at two public accounts committees that he asked this government twice for additional funds, first in 2018 and again in 2019, only for those requests to be ignored.

Canadians deserve to know how their money is being spent. This government must be properly audited. When will this government finally be accountable to taxpayers and fully fund the Auditor General's office?

12:40 p.m.

Liberal

Jean-Yves Duclos Liberal Québec, QC

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Again, to provide the information Canadians need and deserve is our priority. We are doing this over time, especially in an emergency context. In 2018, we were pleased to substantially increase the budget of the Auditor General. We are going to work closely with her.

By the way, I congratulate her on her important appointment.

12:40 p.m.

Conservative

Tim Uppal Conservative Edmonton Mill Woods, AB

Mr. Speaker, the fact is the newly appointed Auditor General started earlier this week and before she even started, she expressed concerns about the lack of funding from the government for her office. Will the government give the Auditor General the money her office requires to properly run the Auditor General's office?

12:40 p.m.

Liberal

Jean-Yves Duclos Liberal Québec, QC

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

That's a great opportunity. I'm grateful for that to continue and to say that not only are we proud of her appointment, but we also are proud of the important work she will do on behalf of all Canadians, and all members of this House, to make sure Canadians and members of this House are able to follow the important investments we are making in the—

12:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

Back to Mr. Uppal.

12:40 p.m.

Conservative

Tim Uppal Conservative Edmonton Mill Woods, AB

Mr. Chair, it's nice to hear the Liberals continue to make more investments, but what we need is, as they're spending, the number of audits should go up, not be cut down, and that's the situation right now.

Tuesday the finance committee unanimously approved a Conservative motion calling on the government to fully fund the Auditor General and for her to fully audit all federal programs and any other work she deems appropriate. Will the government listen to its own members who voted for that motion, respect taxpayer dollars and fully fund the Auditor General?

12:40 p.m.

Liberal

Jean-Yves Duclos Liberal Québec, QC

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

We're proud and pleased to see the Conservatives did bring that motion, given the fact that in 2014 they cut the budget of the Auditor General.

We are working in a different framework. We are going to make sure the Auditor General—I again congratulate her on her appointment—has all the tools she needs to do the work that Canadians and members of Parliament expect of her.

12:40 p.m.

Conservative

Tim Uppal Conservative Edmonton Mill Woods, AB

Mr. Chair, the government loves to reach back in history and try to blame someone else for its mistakes. Yes, several years ago—actually two auditors general ago—the Auditor General at that time volunteered reductions to his office, but this did not affect the number of audits it conducted. Right now, the fact is that spending has doubled and the number of audits has gone down. How does the Treasury Board president explain that?

12:40 p.m.

Liberal

Jean-Yves Duclos Liberal Québec, QC

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I think we all agree, including the opposition members, on the important role the Auditor General in general and the new Auditor General in particular have in our democracy. That's why we increased the budget of the Auditor General at that time in 2018, leading to the creation of more positions in that office to provide the important information Canadians need and deserve.

12:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

Mr. Uppal you have time for a question of 10 seconds or less, please.

12:40 p.m.

Conservative

Tim Uppal Conservative Edmonton Mill Woods, AB

Mr. Chair, I'd like to ask why the many businesses in my riding, especially those that opened up recently, do not qualify for any government support. They are ready to open, they're ready to hire employees, but they're not getting the support they need. Why won't this government support those businesses?

12:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

The honourable minister, in 15 seconds or less, please.

12:40 p.m.

Liberal

Jean-Yves Duclos Liberal Québec, QC

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I have too little time to answer that question. Many of my colleagues would be able to answer it really well, because we are doing everything we need to do to go through this crisis together.

12:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

We'll now continue with Mr. Schmale.

12:40 p.m.

Conservative

Jamie Schmale Conservative Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON

Thank you, Chair.

Last night, The Globe and Mail revealed that the Minister of Foreign Affairs has two mortgages valued at nearly $2 million with the state-owned Bank of China. What interest rate is Minister Champagne paying?

12:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

The honourable minister.

12:40 p.m.

Honoré-Mercier Québec

Liberal

Pablo Rodriguez LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Chair, the minister lived many years in the U.K. He purchased two apartments in London, one in 2009 and the other one in 2013, which he continues to own. Since entering politics, the two mortgages and other liabilities and assets have been fully disclosed.

12:40 p.m.

Conservative

Jamie Schmale Conservative Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON

Does the Prime Minister believe it's appropriate for his foreign minister to be so personally indebted to the Communist Party of China?

12:40 p.m.

Liberal

Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC

As I said, Mr. Chair, the two mortgages and other liabilities have been fully disclosed to the Ethics Commissioner and placed on the online public registry. Mr. Chair, everything is public.

12:40 p.m.

Conservative

Jamie Schmale Conservative Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON

Mr. Chair, the foreign minister is required to obtain a high security clearance not only to attend cabinet but also because he has access to some of Canada's most secret intelligence.

Can the Prime Minister explain how his minister obtained the security clearance, given his financial obligations to the Communist Party of China?

12:45 p.m.

Liberal

Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC

Mr. Chair, this could be long.

As I said earlier, since the minister entered politics, the two mortgages and liabilities and assets have been fully disclosed to the Ethics Commissioner—fully disclosed, Mr. Chair—and placed on the online public registry. Everything is public.

12:45 p.m.

Conservative

Jamie Schmale Conservative Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON

Mr. Chair, the minister has placed himself in a blatant conflict of interest. It's absolutely inappropriate for him to have a financial relationship with a Chinese government-owned bank.

Will the minister immediately remove himself from his conflict and find a new bank to do business with?

12:45 p.m.

Liberal

Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC

That's a little bit far-fetched, Mr. Chair. I thought this was an important meeting to discuss the pandemic and important things related to the lives of Canadians, including the creation of jobs, saving jobs and helping Canadians across the country—