Finance Committee on May 4th, 2010

[Jenifer Aitken]

I'm sorry, I missed the question--if it was being directed at me.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Massimo Pacetti]

Anyone can answer it. Who's best qualified to answer it?

If you'd like, you can each take a crack at it.

[Jenifer Aitken]

Mr. Chair, I apologize for that.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Massimo Pacetti]

No, that's fine.

[Jenifer Aitken]

The bill does provide that its provisions can be brought into force by the Governor in Council so it won't necessarily all be enforced at once.

But to answer the question about whether it could be used with respect to the whole of AECL, I think that's correct, it can be; so it's not....

[Daniel Paillé, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

You can't disclose who is on the list of potential purchasers, or where they come from, or how they're connected with these issues, etc., and I understand that very well since I have had that experience in the past. But am I to understand that it is all corporations that are on the list of potential purchasers?

[Jean-Frédéric Lafaille]

That is one of the things that are protected by the rules. We can't share that kind of information.

[Daniel Paillé, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

I don't want to know the names. I just want to know whether they are all corporations.

[Jean-Frédéric Lafaille]

They are corporations, yes.

[Daniel Paillé, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

If they are corporations, that means they are not other governments. To get to my real question, is it possible that a foreign government might buy the business? Are there foreign government enterprises that are on the list to buy these assets at present?

[Jean-Frédéric Lafaille]

You will understand that this is information that is protected by confidentiality agreements, and that we cannot disclose it. However, corporations were approached. That I can tell you, but I cannot go further than that.

[Daniel Paillé, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

Right. So it could be government enterprises.

[Jean-Frédéric Lafaille]

Hypothetically, yes.

[Daniel Paillé, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

Potentially. Right.

That's it.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Massimo Pacetti]

Thank you.

[A voice]

Could I have a moment?

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Massimo Pacetti]

Go ahead, if you can do it quickly.

[A voice]

No, I'll do it later.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Massimo Pacetti]

Right.

Mr. McCallum.

[John McCallum, Liberal, Markham—Unionville, ON]

Me?

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Massimo Pacetti]

Yes. You're Mr. McCallum.

[John McCallum, Liberal, Markham—Unionville, ON]

I know, but I thought you were giving him an extra minute.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Massimo Pacetti]

Let's go.

[John McCallum, Liberal, Markham—Unionville, ON]

Okay. Thank you.

I just have one quick question. I'm interested in the comparison of the sale of CN with the sale of AECL. My recollection is that in the case of CN, the purchaser wasn't given the certainty of cabinet having full control. But there was a bill that had to pass through the House, and it did.

Why is the process that was followed with CN...why does AECL have to follow this process for purposes of certainty on the part of the buyer, whereas the CN case did not, and indeed went through the House?

[Cécile Cléroux]

The government determined that the best tool to be able to provide the authorities and the flexibilities to be able to go forward swiftly with the transaction process towards the divesture was using Bill C-9.