Finance Committee on July 16th, 2020

[Bardish Chagger, Liberal, Waterloo, ON]

I'm confident that the public service would have done their due diligence and would have requested legal opinions. I think what's important to note is the difference between employment opportunities and volunteer opportunities. This was about service opportunities within communities. As someone who has been volunteering in her community since she was 13 years old, I know that volunteering and providing service opportunities are an opportunity to develop and strengthen skills. Some of these opportunities would actually allow young people—

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

You didn't give an opinion. As minister, you didn't give an opinion.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

We will have to end it there with you both.

We'll turn to a five-minute round, and we only have room for two five-minute rounds. We'll go to Mr. Barrett first, and then Ms. Koutrakis.

Mr. Barrett, the floor is yours.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Minister, is there a competitive process used in awarding contribution agreements?

[Bardish Chagger, Liberal, Waterloo, ON]

I'll refer to my deputy.

[Gina Wilson]

There are different mechanisms to actually award a contribution agreement. The first one would be a call for proposals. However, we determined at the time that a call for proposals, an open call, would take about two to three months, at a minimum, to actually get something in place. We could have done a limited call for proposals, which would have probably taken—

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Mr. Chair, I'll reclaim my time there.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

I think that's a very substantive answer, Mr. Barrett. I won't take time away from you, but I think we need to hear the answer.

Go ahead, Ms. Wilson.

[Gina Wilson]

I was just wrapping up with that.

An actual call for proposals would take several months to move forward with, and we needed to get this program off the ground very quickly, because at the time of the pandemic, in the severity of the pandemic, students were graduating.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

It's back to Mr. Barrett.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

There was no competitive process used in this place, though there was one that was available.

I want to confirm, Minister Chagger, are you the minister responsible for this program?

[Bardish Chagger, Liberal, Waterloo, ON]

Yes, I am the minister responsible for the program. That's why the recommendation that the public service made to me after a lot of rigour and discussion and questions and answers—

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Is Ms. Wernick with your ministry, Minister?

[Bardish Chagger, Liberal, Waterloo, ON]

Ms. Wernick is with ESDC.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Why didn't the ESDC minister introduce this proposal to cabinet, then?

[Bardish Chagger, Liberal, Waterloo, ON]

As the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth, my responsibilities are actually part of multiple departments, and this is part of the responsibilities that I have been given.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Which department was responsible for developing this program, then?

[Bardish Chagger, Liberal, Waterloo, ON]

It's ESDC. I'm just going to get you the name of the branch. It's the skills and employment branch of ESDC.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Okay.

Who was working on the background and resources to implement this program?

[Bardish Chagger, Liberal, Waterloo, ON]

I understand that Ms. Wernick will be appearing after me, and she would be able to provide a more substantial answer.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Okay.

Was it written on the memorandum that only WE Charity could deliver this program?

[Bardish Chagger, Liberal, Waterloo, ON]

It was the recommendation that was provided to me in writing, after a lot of rigour and discussion. I accepted the recommendation. Yes, it was provided to me in writing.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

The question was this: Was it only WE Charity that was recommended?

[Bardish Chagger, Liberal, Waterloo, ON]

When the public service made the recommendation to me, yes, it was the organization that was recommended.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Were you given any options as to how this program could be administered or which organizations could administer it?