Evidence of meeting #102 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was pia.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Stephanie Kusie Conservative Calgary Midnapore, AB
I will also ask Mr. Harroun if he received any direction from the Treasury Board when it was announced that other federal departments didn't have the required PIAs.
Chief Compliance and Enforcement Officer, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
We did not receive a direction from the Treasury Board. We advised Treasury Board that we had a PIA, as per my previous answer.
Conservative
Stephanie Kusie Conservative Calgary Midnapore, AB
Would both departments be aware that, if the President of the Treasury Board was made aware of a systematic compliance issue, they are able to make direct recommendations to the head of the government institutions involved?
Were there are no PIAs?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
Answer very quickly, both of you—either a yes or no, if you can do that.
Acting Director General and Deputy Chief Privacy Officer, Access to Information and Privacy Directorate, Public Affairs Branch, Canada Revenue Agency
PIAs are submitted to both Treasury Board and the OPC, so they have an opportunity to provide feedback to us on those things.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
Thank you.
We'll go to Mr. Housefather for six minutes.
Go ahead, please.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
While I always appreciate my colleague Mrs. Kusie, I think I was at a different panel than her for the first panel, because I didn't hear any of the things that I think she heard.
I mean, I think when we came here today some people were hoping to hear that these tools were bought since the Liberals took power in 2015—
Conservative
Stephanie Kusie Conservative Calgary Midnapore, AB
I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.
Perhaps, if the clerk can check the attendance from the first hour, the clerk will recognize that I was here. Maybe we can take a moment to verify the attendance for the first hour.
Conservative
Conservative
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
I didn't say you weren't here. I said I didn't think we were at the same meeting. I didn't say you weren't here.
Conservative
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
You described the first panel differently than I perceived it.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
Mr. Housefather, I have another point of order from Ms. Kusie.
Go ahead.
Conservative
Stephanie Kusie Conservative Calgary Midnapore, AB
I believe the member across from me was implying that I was absent from the room for the first hour, when in fact—
Conservative
Stephanie Kusie Conservative Calgary Midnapore, AB
That was the implication. That was the implication.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
That's a matter of debate.
I'll go to you, Mr. Housefather. I stopped your time. Go ahead.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
I'm not even going to get into that one.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I think there was an attempt to somehow say that these tools were bought when the Liberals were in power, no PIA was obtained and there was negligence on the part of the Treasury Board.
To the CRTC, just to be clear, when did you buy the tool?
Chief Compliance and Enforcement Officer, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
We bought it in 2014.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
It was in 2014, before the Liberals took power.
What about the Canada Revenue Agency?
Director General, Criminal Investigations Directorate, Compliance Programs Branch, Canada Revenue Agency
It was 2012.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Okay.
Then, as to a PIA, there was an attempt to say, well, you guys didn't comply. There was no PIA.
To the CRTC, you do have a PIA for this program.