Evidence of meeting #24 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 program.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Marc Kielburger  Founder, WE Charity
Clerk of the Committee  Ms. Miriam Burke
Craig Kielburger  Founder, WE Charity

5 p.m.

Conservative

Jacques Gourde Conservative Lévis—Lotbinière, QC

Okay.

Are you aware that there was no bidding process for the program you accessed and that no one else offered their services?

5 p.m.

Founder, WE Charity

Marc Kielburger

I'm glad you asked that question. We were under the assumption that there were other groups—not Spotify, but actually Shopify—being considered. That's what we were told, so we assumed, perhaps incorrectly, at least at the initial stages, that this was all following regular processes.

5 p.m.

Founder, WE Charity

Craig Kielburger

To be candid, I wish this had gone to tender. I wish that anyone could have bid on this. Again, to be candid, I wish this had been an open bid, because I still feel we may have been a good contender among many others. I wish there had been a proper recusal in the process. I wish people had done additional diligence that the people here are speaking of if there had been any concerns.

But also, it was a pandemic. It was a different time. People were doing their best.

Again, to Marc's point, we were actually told that multiple organizations were being considered—explicitly.

5 p.m.

Conservative

Jacques Gourde Conservative Lévis—Lotbinière, QC

In that committee, we were told that, given the architecture of the program, you were the only ones in Canada with access to over 7,000 schools and that you had the infrastructure to reach as many students as possible in a short amount of time. So the contract was tailor-made for your organization, because you were really the only ones in Canada who could fulfill it. They probably didn't even look elsewhere. You were at the forefront, and you're victims of these circumstances.

I want to talk about the rollout of the program. How would you have selected the students? Were the students supposed to sign up or did you have competitions at each school?

5:05 p.m.

Founder, WE Charity

Marc Kielburger

Yes, to the honourable member, we had students participate in the program. Unfortunately, the program didn't actually take place, but an ESDC process was defined for applying online. ESDC defined criteria. We had well over 35,000 students sign up in a matter of days. It was quite remarkable to see. There was a—

5:05 p.m.

Conservative

Jacques Gourde Conservative Lévis—Lotbinière, QC

Sorry.

Could you please send the committee the registration form?

5:05 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Chris Warkentin

Monsieur Gourde, that's your last question.

We'll give you an opportunity to answer that.

Mr. Kielburger, please answer.

5:05 p.m.

Founder, WE Charity

Marc Kielburger

We're happy to do that.

Mr. Chair, can we also ask for an additional health break at some point?

5:05 p.m.

Conservative

Jacques Gourde Conservative Lévis—Lotbinière, QC

Thank you.

5:05 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Chris Warkentin

We can break for five minutes now.

Members, we'll suspend for five minutes.

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Chris Warkentin

Colleagues, we'll call this meeting back to order.

I'll turn to Mr. Sorbara for the next round of questions.

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

Francesco Sorbara Liberal Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON

Thank you, Chair.

Again, welcome, everyone.

For Marc and Craig, how many hours have you testified in front of two committees in the last few months?

5:10 p.m.

Founder, WE Charity

Marc Kielburger

This will be hour seven.

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

Francesco Sorbara Liberal Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON

You have delivered seven hours of testimony to many members, answering many questions.

I do have one question. I know a few of my opposition colleagues have been quick to cut you off on this question, so I do want to give you a moment to answer.

Was April 2020 the first time you talked to the government about running a student program?

5:10 p.m.

Founder, WE Charity

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

Francesco Sorbara Liberal Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON

To correct the record from my parliamentary colleague, Mr. Angus, the name that was mentioned way back when in the finance testimony was not Spotify. It was Shopify.

5:10 p.m.

NDP

Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON

I have a point of order.

Mr. Sorbara has deeply embarrassed me. I'm showing my age in getting Spotify and Shopify mixed up. I want it stricken from the Hansard record so it never shows that—

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Chris Warkentin

I'm not sure that is a point of order, but I'm sure you're debating with yourself—

5:10 p.m.

NDP

Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON

That's not a point of order? Okay, continue, Mr. Sorbara.

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Chris Warkentin

Thank you, colleagues.

Mr. Sorbara, we'll turn back to you.

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

Francesco Sorbara Liberal Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON

I would like that time given back to me, so I can ask the next question.

I'll go back to my opening remarks with Marc and Craig on having an MP write an agency—the RCMP. I personally feel it is completely wrong for them to say that an investigation should be started toward any individual organization here in Canada. To me, that is just not what we need to be doing politically and it is wrong. I know you folks have commented that it is not appropriate for politicians or public servants to be doing that.

I want to get that on the record because the independence of those agencies is beyond repute and we need to keep it in that light. We shouldn't mix those two things.

I do wish to comment. I take it that the Prime Minister's mother, Margaret Trudeau, came to speak on mental health to young people. Is that correct?

5:15 p.m.

Founder, WE Charity

Craig Kielburger

That is correct.

5:15 p.m.

Liberal

Francesco Sorbara Liberal Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON

As I stated in the finance committee hearings, she also came to speak here in the city of Vaughan—which is my riding—in front of 1,000 individuals. It was a Women's Day event. For me, her speech captivated the room and many people listened very attentively and found her story on mental health to be very inspiring.

With regard to charities in Canada, you mentioned the remarks on where charities are today. How do you feel about that situation?

I do want to make another comment. I do want to apologize in a certain sense for what your families have borne through this whole process. You have young children. You have grandparents. Many of us have young children and grandparents as well. It's quite unfair for any witness coming in front of a committee to then feel threatened by individuals because of testimony and questions from opposition members or be it as is. On that level, you have my empathy and my appreciation for coming back.

Do you have any closing remarks, gentlemen?

5:15 p.m.

Founder, WE Charity

Marc Kielburger

We appreciate that. As much as we appreciate it for us, we really look to the issue of young people in Canada who, of course, are really the ones who lost out on this.

I would just appeal again with humility and grace to all of you as elected members of Parliament. You have a tremendous amount of power to help young people this coming summer once again through coming together as members of Parliament from all parties to create, as part of your report, some opportunities for those young people.

I also want to thank the members of Parliament thus far for being respectful of this process. Thank you, all members of Parliament, including Mr. Angus. Thank you for staying focused largely on pandemic spending and the mandate of this committee. We really appreciate it.

5:15 p.m.

Liberal

Francesco Sorbara Liberal Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON

Mr. Warkentin, can I get that time made up that Mr. Angus took away?