Evidence of meeting #154 for Finance in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was bank.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter
Yes, we are.
I think Ms. Ritchot is outlining that whether or not we can add a regulation for one taken away by a foreign country is a political decision. She can't answer that question.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
No, but Chair, if I may, the reality is we are looking at a piece of legislation that would empower the government to add that regulation. I'm not commenting on the eventual political decision that a government or a department would make to add a regulation. I'm simply pointing out that this bill would give them new authorities to do so.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter
Be that as it may, that's your point.
Is there any further discussion or questions to Ms. Ritchot?
Thank you, Ms. Ritchot.
We'll turn to division 12, “Communications Security Establishment”. Hopefully, we can get through this one.
Mr. Donald Parker, director, strategic policy, Communications Security Establishment.
Welcome.
Don Parker Director, Strategic Policy, Communications Security Establishment
Thank you, sir.
Good evening, Mr. Chair.
I'll keep my opening comments as brief as possible this evening.
Budget 2018 announced the government's intention to establish a Canadian centre for cybersecurity. As part of this initiative, this portion of the budget implementation act includes a provision to regroup technical cybersecurity experts from across three distinct parts of the public service within the Communications Security Establishment. It's an administrative measure to move implicated employees.
Thank you.
NDP
Pierre-Luc Dusseault NDP Sherbrooke, QC
Does this mean that the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security and the Security Operations Centre of Shared Services Canada no longer exist? Does this mean that the employees will be transferred to the Communications Security Establishment?
Director, Strategic Policy, Communications Security Establishment
To be clear, it will move employees who currently reside within Public Safety as well as employees currently with Shared Services Canada so they become employees of the Communications Security Establishment.
Pierre-Luc Dusseault NDP Sherbrooke, QC
Okay.
I don't know if you will be able to answer the next question.
I am not an expert in translation. The English reads:
“managerial or confidential position”.
I believe that the French translation of “confidential” is “confidentiel”, but the French reads “poste de direction ou de confiance”. We therefore have “confidential” and “confiance”.
I do not know whether the use of the term “confiance” is intentional in the French. It may not be the right term.
Director, Strategic Policy, Communications Security Establishment
Thank you.
I'm not an expert in legislative drafting. Certainly, I'll look into it.
NDP
Pierre-Luc Dusseault NDP Sherbrooke, QC
Yes, please.
Perhaps you could check with the drafters or jurilinguists before sending your answer to the committee. I would like you to look into this so we know that we are using the right word.
NDP
Conservative
Tom Kmiec Conservative Calgary Shepard, AB
Do any of these sections have material budgetary impact? Are there dollars associated with the redesignation of any of these employees?
Director, Strategic Policy, Communications Security Establishment
Yes, there would be salary implications that would be transferred through a separate administrative measure. It's not contained within the budget act itself. It would be settled through the estimates process.
Conservative
Tom Kmiec Conservative Calgary Shepard, AB
Are you saying that by doing this redesignation of jobs, certain people, I'm guessing, are going to be put into a higher classification? I doubt they will be put into lower classification jobs as they're being reassigned. Is that correct?
Director, Strategic Policy, Communications Security Establishment
In fact, there would be, through this measure, no change to their salary or compensation. From a budgetary perspective, it would be net—
Director, Strategic Policy, Communications Security Establishment
That's correct.
What I meant to imply in my earlier answer—and apologies if I wasn't clear—was that the resources associated with those employees today would be transferred through that separate reconciliation process I referred to.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter
What am I hearing from you, Mr. Dusseault, is that you want to keep going. I don't know whether people do.
Do you want to go another half an hour?
