Finance Committee on May 5th, 2010

[Jonathan DeWolfe]

That's right. That would be Genome Canada, the Rick Hansen Foundation, and the Canadian Youth Business Foundation.

[Martha Hall Findlay, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

So anything promised by the government in the past has been fully funded?

[Jonathan DeWolfe]

It's been pretty close to that, to my knowledge.

[Martha Hall Findlay, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

That's a better track record than a lot have.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Mr. Menzies.

[Ted Menzies, Conservative, Macleod, AB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I just have a quick question about Genome Canada. For those who are actually watching this discussion, I'd like a bit of a clarification about Genome Canada, which is a fairly new organization, relatively speaking. Who else helps fund it more than we do at the federal level? Do the provinces? We're not the sole source of funding for Genome Canada.

[Jonathan DeWolfe]

Yes, that's correct. In fact, Genome Canada is compelled to raise matching funds equal to the federal contribution.

If you give me a moment, I'll find the breakdown of contributing partners, but it is one-to-one funding.

[Ted Menzies, Conservative, Macleod, AB]

So it is based on matching?

[Jonathan DeWolfe]

That's right.

[Ted Menzies, Conservative, Macleod, AB]

I think there was a comment about the six innovation centres spread across the country. Geographically, how are they laid out?

[Jonathan DeWolfe]

I'll speak to the breakdown first. There are foreign partners, industry partners, institutions, and the provinces. Of those, the provinces are the biggest contributor.

[Ted Menzies, Conservative, Macleod, AB]

If you don't have an answer, you could perhaps provide it afterwards.

[Jonathan DeWolfe]

We could come back to that, perhaps.

[Ted Menzies, Conservative, Macleod, AB]

Okay, thank you.

Thank you, Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Thank you, Mr. Menzies.

I have Mr. McKay.

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

Why is the money for Genome Canada being back-dated?

[Jonathan DeWolfe]

Historically, for Genome Canada, there have been lump-sum payments, recorded in the in-year—and that's 2009-10 for the 2010 budget. The advantage of upfront, lump-sum payments is that they allow the foundation to have the security of knowing that the funds are there for a number of years for them to draw down. That helps them lever funds from other partners, because there is security that the funding will in fact be there.

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

I understand that, but what I don't understand is why this $75 million starts in the fiscal year that's already ended, and you're doing it in this particular budget. I don't understand the point of that.

[Jonathan DeWolfe]

I can't speak to why that it the case, necessarily, because it's a decision of the Minister of Finance. I can tell you about some of the advantages of doing it that way.

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

I understand the stability of funding in terms of expectations and matching funds, and all of those things—but maybe Mr. Menzies could tell us.

Mr. Menzies, could you tell us?

[Ted Menzies, Conservative, Macleod, AB]

Maybe, maybe not.

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

I see.

So the officials aren't able to tell us, and the parliamentary secretary, who's supposed to represent the political decisions, can't tell us either.

[An hon. member]

You never answer any more.

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

We could swear Mr. Menzies in.

Have a seat. You're more than welcome.

[Ted Menzies, Conservative, Macleod, AB]

Then you'd be swearing at me.