Finance Committee on Dec. 1st, 2010

[Richard Botham, General Director, Economic Development and Corporate Finance, Department of Finance]

As you know, the crown corporation that's responsible for public-private partnerships has issued a request for proposals. In the second round of the proposals, which closed this summer, they received about 70 applications. That crown corporation is responsible for all the decisions and due diligence related to those proposals. They make recommendations after having gone through that. They haven't finalized their work.

In terms of funds available for the corporation to carry out their work, they received funds in main estimates. So they received funds in 2009-10 and will in 2010-11 as well.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

You have 30 seconds left.

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

The estimates for payment to Public-Private Partnerships Canada, for P3 fund investments, are $242.5 million for the year, according to this. I'm asking this because it's a fairly small amount compared with the ask for one project.

I'm just wondering if Public-Private Partnerships Canada is able to fulfill that, because the ask and the expectation is that Public-Private Partnerships Canada will be honouring that--

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

I'm sorry, Mr. Brison. Apparently there is a vote.

Unless I have unanimous consent of the committee, we do have to go back to the House immediately.

[An hon. member]

We'd better head back.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Head back? Okay.

I apologize to the officials, but we will be back as soon as possible.

The meeting is suspended.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

I believe I have a motion to adjourn from Mr. Menzies.

All in favour?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Okay.

Thank you. I apologize again, but Parliament calls.

The meeting is adjourned.