Evidence of meeting #62 for Finance in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was work.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Karen Swol  Director, Program Management, Rail Safety, Department of Transport
Dean Beyea  Director, International Trade Policy Division, Department of Finance
Olivier Nicoloff  Director, Democracy, Commonwealth and Francophonie Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Colleen Barnes  Executive Director, Domestic Policy Directorate, Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Nancy Leigh  Manager, Governance Secretariat, Canada School of Public Service
Jane Pearse  Director, Financial Institutions Division, Financial Sector Policy Branch, Department of Finance
Suzanne Brisebois  Director General, Policy and Operations, Parole Board of Canada, Public Safety Canada
Louise Laflamme  Chief, Marine Policy and Regulatory Affairs, Department of Transport
Lenore Duff  Senior Director, Strategic Policy and Legislative Reform, Department of Human Resources and Skills Development
Lawrence Hanson  Director General, Strategic Policy Directorate, Department of the Environment
Pamela Miller  Director General, Telecommunications Policy Branch, Department of Industry
Allan MacGillivray  Special Advisor to the Director General, Telecommunications Policy, Department of Industry
Alwyn Child  Director General, Program Development and Guidance Directorate, Department of Human Resources and Skills Development
Mireille Laroche  Director General, Employment Insurance Policy, Department of Human Resources and Skills Development
Mark Hodgson  Senior Policy Analyst, Labour Markets, Employment and Learning, Department of Finance
Patrick Halley  Chief, Tariffs and Market Acess, International Trade and Finance, Department of Finance
Vivian Krause  As an Individual
Mark Blumberg  Lawyer and Partner, Blumberg Segal LLP
Dan Kelly  Senior Vice-President, Legislative Affairs, Canadian Federation of Independent Business
Dennis Howlett  Coordinator, Canadians for Tax Fairness
Jamie Ellerton  Executive Director, EthicalOil.org
Blair Rutter  Grain Growers of Canada
Marcel Lauzière  President and Chief Executive Officer, Imagine Canada
Tom King  Co-Chair, Finance and Taxation Committee, Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada
Sandra Harder  Director General, Strategic Policy and Planning, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Cam Carruthers  Director, Program Integrity Division, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
David Manicom  Immigration Program Manager (New Delhi), Area Director (South Asia), Department of Citizenship and Immigration

4:20 p.m.

Executive Director, Domestic Policy Directorate, Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Colleen Barnes

We recognize that things are changing out there, for instance, with climate change, and the nature of disease is evolving. So we looked at situations, for example avian influenza, which we've had success in eradicating. If we hadn't been able to, the costs of managing that disease would have been pretty significant for the agency.

We recognize that the current way the legislation was drafted, we had no way of moving to a management approach in those situations. That's why it's here. It's part of that, recognizing the change in science.

4:25 p.m.

NDP

Wayne Marston NDP Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON

Thank you.

That's all I have.

4:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Thank you.

You can have a minute and a half now, or you can have a full round later.

4:25 p.m.

NDP

Hoang Mai NDP Brossard—La Prairie, QC

I'll just have it now.

4:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Okay.

Monsieur Mai.

4:25 p.m.

NDP

Hoang Mai NDP Brossard—La Prairie, QC

Could you tell us whether the proposed changes are meant to protect animal welfare in cases where there is a disease outbreak affecting all animals?

4:25 p.m.

Executive Director, Domestic Policy Directorate, Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Colleen Barnes

We can zone now. But what this will allow us to do is that when we have an area that's declared under quarantine and we can't eradicate that disease, we can now put a control zone in place where we can manage the disease while we use science or other ways to effectively eradicate it. It allows us to have a way of managing going forward.

4:25 p.m.

NDP

Hoang Mai NDP Brossard—La Prairie, QC

Is the welfare of the animals taken into consideration in that case?

4:25 p.m.

Executive Director, Domestic Policy Directorate, Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Colleen Barnes

It would be, based on science, in terms of our approach. So to that extent, yes.

4:25 p.m.

NDP

Hoang Mai NDP Brossard—La Prairie, QC

Thank you.

4:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Thank you.

Mr. Hoback, please.

4:25 p.m.

Conservative

Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK

Thank you, and thank you, witnesses, for being here.

We need to clarify the advantage of the zoning and what it means to producers who are actually raising the animals.

In the old situation, I understand, if it wasn't for zoning, an outbreak in one part of Canada would have an impact on the markets for those animals right across Canada. Is that not correct?

4:25 p.m.

Executive Director, Domestic Policy Directorate, Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Colleen Barnes

Potentially. When you're in a situation where you can't eradicate, we could move to this zoning. And that is well recognized internationally as a management approach that would only, then, have implications for the zone and not the rest of Canada.

4:25 p.m.

Conservative

Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK

The financial implications for producers, farmers in particular, would be enormous. For example, if there were an outbreak in my province, a producer in Ontario wouldn't necessarily lose all his markets, as has happened with cases of mad cow disease in the past.

4:25 p.m.

Executive Director, Domestic Policy Directorate, Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Colleen Barnes

That's right, Mr. Chair.

4:25 p.m.

Conservative

Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK

So there are the financial implications of why this needs to be in the budget.

Thank you.

4:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Thank you.

I'll go to Mr. Brison, please.

4:25 p.m.

Liberal

Scott Brison Liberal Kings—Hants, NS

On a very specific point in division 34, I have a question. What is the basis for the conclusion that the chronic wasting disease strategy would be moved from eradication to containment?

4:25 p.m.

Executive Director, Domestic Policy Directorate, Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Colleen Barnes

That's just one example. It's not designed for that disease in particular. It's for any disease where we find ourselves in a place where we can't eradicate.

4:25 p.m.

Liberal

Scott Brison Liberal Kings—Hants, NS

Does the change from eradication to containment expose us to any trade issues with the U.S. or Europe, or any other countries?

4:25 p.m.

Executive Director, Domestic Policy Directorate, Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Colleen Barnes

No. This actually will help us. We then get this new zoning approach that, as the other member mentioned, is well recognized internationally as a management strategy, and it actually helps us keep our markets open.

4:25 p.m.

Liberal

Scott Brison Liberal Kings—Hants, NS

Thank you.

4:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Okay. That's it.

Thank you very much for presenting to us and for responding to our questions.

We'll move forward to division 35, the Canada School of Public Service Act.

Welcome to the committee, Ms. Leigh. Please present an overview of this section. Then we'll move to questions from members.

4:25 p.m.

Nancy Leigh Manager, Governance Secretariat, Canada School of Public Service

My name is Nancy Leigh, and I'm here on behalf on the Canada School of Public Service.

The school provides training for federal government employees and these proposed amendments are legislated changes to the Canada School of Public Service Act to eliminate its board of governors.

Currently the board provides the deputy minister with strategic advice by reviewing strategic direction, business planning, and performance results. The proposed changes are being made to align strategic oversight in a more transparent, risk-based manner, and to reduce the costs.

I want to assure you that oversight of the school will continue through existing mechanisms such as audits from the Office of the Comptroller General; the annual management accountability framework assessments; annual performance reporting, including the Departmental Performance Report and the Report on Plans and Priorities; as well as a five-year report to Parliament.

Our deputy minister will receive strategic advice from our direct clients, who are deputy ministers, through various deputy minister committees.

4:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Thank you very much for that overview.

Are there questions from members?

No.

You've satisfied everyone.