You have about two minutes left.
Evidence of meeting #43 for Finance in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was charity.
A video is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #43 for Finance in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was charity.
A video is available from Parliament.
2:35 p.m.
Liberal
Annie Koutrakis Liberal Vimy, QC
Thank you.
What were your main goals when developing programs and policies to respond to the crises? We have heard from other witnesses about rapid response, simplicity and large-scale support. I know you've mentioned it time and time again, but I think it's worth mentioning once again, never to lose sight of the pandemic, the crisis facing not only Canadians but the globe.
What were your main goals when developing these programs and policies, Minister Morneau?
2:35 p.m.
Liberal
Bill Morneau Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Again, thank you for that question.
Our main goals at the beginning of the pandemic were very consistent with our goals now. We recognize that this pandemic has had enormous impacts on Canadians across the country, on families' ability to support themselves, and also on future opportunities, so we've been looking at how we can support people through this.
The CERB benefit, our first and most important measure at the outset, was recognizing how many people were going to be off work without enough money to pay for groceries or rent, and we needed to get support to them rapidly.
The wage subsidy was about trying to make sure people could keep their job over the long term, because we know how important that is for them but also for our economy.
Programs like what we put together for students were recognizing that we were going to have hundreds of thousands of students without the ability to get a job this summer. We needed to think about how we could support them, because they are by definition our future. We need to make sure they can get back to their studies.
That's been our focus from day one, and it will continue to be our focus. Getting through this crisis requires us all to work together. It's a health crisis and an economic crisis, so we need to think about those two things in tandem, but supporting people has always been central to what our government has been after and central to what I've been focused on during this time.
2:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter
Thank you. We'll end it there.
Mr. Fortin is next, followed by Mr. Angus.
Mr. Fortin.
2:40 p.m.
Liberal
Bill Morneau Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Thank you for the question.
It's a very important question. We were in a very difficult situation, faced with a pandemic, and it was very important to help Canadians, including students.
2:40 p.m.
Liberal
Bill Morneau Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
We needed to provide support urgently, and we had to figure out how we were going to do it. We were told by people in the public service that, based on the policy, the only way to help students was to go through another organization. That is the approach we took.
2:40 p.m.
Bloc
Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Did you try to make a limited, simplified call for tenders? Did you consider that possibility?
2:40 p.m.
Liberal
Bill Morneau Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Like the others, I received the information or the recommendation from public servants on how we could deliver the program to students. They told us that it was the only way to do it.
2:40 p.m.
Bloc
Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Did you consider the possibility of a streamlined call for tenders with short deadlines? Did you consider that?
2:40 p.m.
Liberal
Bill Morneau Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
I'm sure that public service officials asked themselves how the program could be delivered on an urgent basis.
2:40 p.m.
Bloc
Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
With all due respect, Mr. Minister, I understand what you are telling me. As you say yourself, the public service made a recommendation. I am telling you that you are the decision-maker. You are the minister. It is not your daughter, your spouse, your secretary or your assistant. You are the minister. You make the decision. You knew there was a possibility of a simpler tender with short deadlines. You are saying that they probably thought about it, but why didn't you? Is there a reason you didn't ask for it?
2:40 p.m.
Liberal
Bill Morneau Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Departmental officials and I reviewed the policy; that was very important. Afterwards, the departments looked at how the program could be launched. People in the public service are working hard and intelligently.
2:40 p.m.
Bloc
Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
My understanding is that the Minister of Finance did not insist and did not even propose a simpler call for tenders.
Mr. Minister, I will move on to another question because time is running out.
I have been told that the public service did its due diligence on WE. We have learned that it is not solvent, or if it is, it has a lot of debt. All sorts of things are coming out.
At the Department of Finance, did you do your due diligence? Before awarding a management contract worth close to $1 billion, did you try to find out who WE was?
2:40 p.m.
Liberal
Bill Morneau Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
It was not my responsibility, it was up to the public service to consider the best possible approach to managing the program, and it was the public service that made the recommendation.
2:40 p.m.
Bloc
Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Did you read the due diligence report before making your decision?
2:40 p.m.
Bloc
Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Did you read the due diligence report before making the decision at the cabinet table?
2:40 p.m.
Liberal
Bill Morneau Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
I received a recommendation from the public service. Having worked with the public service for the last five years, I know that public servants work very intelligently and are highly qualified. They made an important recommendation to urgently implement our student program.
2:40 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter
This will be your last question, Mr. Fortin, and then we're out of time.