Sorry, it's the $12 million. In the answers you were giving to Mr. Angus, there seemed to be some mistake or misunderstanding there, too, about an approval that had happened with the $900 million.
Thank you.
Evidence of meeting #14 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was jamieson.
A video is available from Parliament.
3:15 p.m.
Liberal
Brenda Shanahan Liberal Châteauguay—Lacolle, QC
Sorry, it's the $12 million. In the answers you were giving to Mr. Angus, there seemed to be some mistake or misunderstanding there, too, about an approval that had happened with the $900 million.
Thank you.
3:15 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Federal-Provincial Relations and Social Policy Branch, Department of Finance
Thank you.
Mr. Angus is referring to annex 4, which is in the documents that we submitted to Parliament. Annex 4 lays out a funding decision, which says...a high-level announcement, $900 million, the minister of ESDC to return with a proposal, and it also has WE Charity, $12 million. That was never signed by the Minister of Finance. He verbally approved all of it except for the WE, and the final decision from the Prime Minister also approved all of it, but not the WE Charity part.
In the communications product, a backgrounder I believe it was, there was a typo, if you will, which still listed $912 million rather than $900 million. In fact, it is $900 million, not $912 million, and neither the Minister of Finance nor the Prime Minister had signed off on the WE Charity $12 million at that point in time in advance of the April 22 announcement.
I hope that's clear.
3:15 p.m.
Liberal
Brenda Shanahan Liberal Châteauguay—Lacolle, QC
Thank you very much for that clarification.
I have one last question, Chair, if I may.
I want to ask Ms. Kovacevic, did she bring her Sassy phone to today's meeting?
3:15 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Federal-Provincial Relations and Social Policy Branch, Department of Finance
I think I need to be a little less sassy, but yes, it is here. Thanks for asking.
3:15 p.m.
Liberal
Brenda Shanahan Liberal Châteauguay—Lacolle, QC
Keep the sassiness.
Thank you very much, Chair, and thank you to today's witnesses.
3:15 p.m.
Conservative
3:15 p.m.
NDP
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
Before we end for the day.... I think this question of the $12 million is really important. We have it actually in the minister's financial annex, which says he signed off on it, he's approved it. We have it listed in the government release, which the witness is saying was just a typo, but $912 million is not a typo; it's showing that it's still there. It eventually is mentioned in the PCO, where the PCO says they have a problem with it. I think they had a problem with—
3:15 p.m.
NDP
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
I'm not finished, sir. I'm on a point of order, please.
Could my colleague wait?
3:15 p.m.
NDP
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
This is serious. I think my colleagues have interrupted us enough over the last 40 days.
I am asking this because some of the documents in annex 4 are blacked out. In one it says, “Hey folks—just picked up a package of docs from Bill [Morneau]. Let me know which ones are still missing so I can track them down”, and then, “Annex 4, Canada Student Service Grant—he didn't sign anything on this one just wrote OK (same as above, Tyler)”.
I am asking—
December 4th, 2020 / 3:15 p.m.
NDP
3:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
I know, Mr. Angus.
You know that I've given broad room for everybody.
3:15 p.m.
NDP
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
I am asking you if you will ask the finance department to send those documents unredacted regarding this so we can clarify whether it was a typo or whether, in fact, as it says, he signed off, “OK”, for the $12 million.
It's a simple thing, but we need to know.
3:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
All right. The request for documents is on record right now.
Madam Clerk, if that's permissible, we can make that happen.
Colleagues, we're done for the day.
Please allow me to thank the witnesses for their patience and fulsome answers.
Colleagues, we will see you at 11 a.m. on Monday, either virtually or in person. Have a good weekend.