Evidence of meeting #61 for Finance in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was transfer.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Glenn Campbell  Director, International Policy and Analysis Division , Department of Finance
Gilles Moreau  Director General, National Compensation, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Department of Public Safety
Jonathan Roy  Senior Policy Analyst, Social Policy, Health, Justice, Culture, Department of Finance
Daniel MacDonald  Chief, Federal-Provincial Relations Division, CHT/CST and Northern Policy, Department of Finance
John Davies  Director General, National Security Policy, Department of Public Safety
Darryl Hirsch  Senior Policy Analyst, Intelligence Policy and Coordination, Department of Public Safety
Nigel Harrison  Manager, Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
David Gillis  Director General, Ecosystems and Oceans Science Sector, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
David Lee  Director, Office of Legislative and Regulatory Modernization; Policy, Planning and International Affairs Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch, Department of Health
Samuel Godefroy  Director General, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch, Department of Health
Alwyn Child  Director General, Program Development and Guidance Directorate, Department of Human Resources and Skills Development
Annette Nicholson  Secretary and General Counsel, International Development Research Centre (IDRC)
Lenore Duff  Senior Director, Strategic Policy and Legislative Reform, Department of Human Resources and Skills Development
Dominique La Salle  Director General, Seniors and Pensions Policy Secretariat, Department of Human Resources and Skills Development
Nathalie Martel  Director, Old Age Security Policy, Department of Human Resources and Skills Development
Bruno Rodrigue  Chief, Social policy, Income Security, Department of Finance
Annette Vermaeten  Director, Task Force, Special Projects, Department of Human Resources and Skills Development
Eileen Boyd  Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet, Senior Personnel, Privy Council Office
Neil Bouwer  Vice-President, Policy and Programs, Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Lynn Tassé  Director, Canada Gazette, Department of Public Works and Government Services
Gerard Peets  Senior Director, Strategy and Planning Directorate, Department of Industry
Patricia Brady  Director, Investment, Insolvency, Competition and Corporate Policy Directorate, Department of Industry
Andy Lalonde  Manager, Preclearance, Canada Border Services Agency, Department of Public Safety
Lynn Hemmings  Senior Chief, Payments, Payments and Pensions, Financial Sector Policy Branch, Department of Finance

6:30 p.m.

Annette Nicholson Secretary and General Counsel, International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

This particular item is part of the International Development Research Centre's cost-saving, by reducing the maximum number of members of the board of governors from 18 members to 14 members. There are also some follow-on amendments that would affect quorum and the size of the executive committee. There are no transition costs associated with this reduction, as attrition has already resulted in the necessary vacancies.

6:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Thank you very much for that.

Are there questions from members? I have Mr. Brison on the list.

6:35 p.m.

Liberal

Scott Brison Liberal Kings—Hants, NS

Could you describe the mandate of the International Development Research Centre and what function it provides to government in terms of advisory, or research, or...?

6:35 p.m.

Secretary and General Counsel, International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

Annette Nicholson

The International Development Research Centre is part of Canada's official development assistance. We are part of the foreign policy family, although it is a crown corporation. It was established in 1970 with the mandate of effectively funding research for development in the developing world. Primarily, the research is done in the developing world as part of the other part of our mandate, which is capacity building for researchers and scientists in the developing world.

6:35 p.m.

Liberal

Scott Brison Liberal Kings—Hants, NS

Does your group conduct research and provide evidence-based advice to government?

6:35 p.m.

Secretary and General Counsel, International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

Annette Nicholson

The grantees do that. Part of the project funding will often involve their doing research in their own countries, suggesting policy amendments that would impact their countries.

6:35 p.m.

Liberal

Scott Brison Liberal Kings—Hants, NS

You are saying that through attrition the number of governors has been reduced from 18 to 14. Is that right?

6:35 p.m.

Secretary and General Counsel, International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

Annette Nicholson

Yes, currently we are actually slightly under 14 and we are awaiting some appointments. This would bring us to 14 with no additional costs.

6:35 p.m.

Liberal

Scott Brison Liberal Kings—Hants, NS

I apologize. I should know this, but what is the profile of your governors in terms of experience?

6:35 p.m.

Secretary and General Counsel, International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

Annette Nicholson

Like any board, there's no typical profile because we're looking for a variety of experience. We're looking for people with expertise in the various areas in which we fund research, and we're also looking for management and financial experience for the oversight functions of a board.

6:35 p.m.

Liberal

Scott Brison Liberal Kings—Hants, NS

From time to time, the International Development Research Centre would take positions that any government might potentially disagree with, positions it would present to cabinet or to government or to the ministers, based on its research and evidence.

6:35 p.m.

Secretary and General Counsel, International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

Annette Nicholson

Generally speaking, because we provide funding and not the decisions—

6:35 p.m.

Liberal

Scott Brison Liberal Kings—Hants, NS

I'm talking about it's funded and organized by....

6:35 p.m.

Secretary and General Counsel, International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

Annette Nicholson

Yes, there would be evidence-based research findings, which would be presented to their governments to make their own policy decisions.

6:35 p.m.

Liberal

Scott Brison Liberal Kings—Hants, NS

Sure, so from time to time any independent group that the organization may fund may sometimes come up with policies that would disagree with the sitting government, a Liberal or Conservative government. Since the inception of the group in 1970, I suspect over time that has happened quite a bit. But through attrition, naturally there's always change. How long has it been since new people have been appointed to the board? It's been pared back from 18 to now you're saying 12, about a 33% reduction.

6:35 p.m.

Secretary and General Counsel, International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

Annette Nicholson

There's natural turnover over time, and the last time we gained new members through regular appointments, I believe, was about two and a half years ago.

6:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

You have one minute.

6:35 p.m.

Liberal

Scott Brison Liberal Kings—Hants, NS

Okay, so there has not been a new appointment for two and a half years.

6:35 p.m.

Secretary and General Counsel, International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

Annette Nicholson

No, not that I can think of.

6:40 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Thank you.

Are there any other questions?

Thank you very much, Ms. Nicholson, for being with us here tonight. We appreciate your briefing the committee.

We'll move on to division 22, the Canada Labour Code.

You have a point of information, Ms. Nash?

6:40 p.m.

NDP

Peggy Nash NDP Parkdale—High Park, ON

I'm just looking at the time. We have two hours left for officials.

6:40 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

That's correct.

6:40 p.m.

NDP

Peggy Nash NDP Parkdale—High Park, ON

And we're not even halfway through section D. I don't want to cut into the time of other witnesses. I would just like to test the committee. Is it possible to extend the time of our meeting with officials? I think most of us would be prepared; we could go tonight or tomorrow morning.

6:40 p.m.

NDP

Guy Caron NDP Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC

Or Monday morning.

6:40 p.m.

NDP

Peggy Nash NDP Parkdale—High Park, ON

Monday is a holiday, but we might meet the following week after the break, Monday morning, just so we at least get the appropriate officials before us without cutting into other witnesses. We're limited enough in our time that we don't want to cut into other witnesses' time. It's just a question of whether we can get through.