Finance Committee on Aug. 13th, 2020

[Michael McLeod, Liberal, Northwest Territories, NT]

I just want to point out that you have a really strong indigenous theme. You have a name that, in the Inuit language, means “meeting place”. You strongly support learning of the history of indigenous peoples. You support culture and truth and reconciliation. It would be nice to see some of your criteria go further than just English and French, to maybe use indigenous languages as something you're seeking also for your board members.

[John-Frederick Cameron]

Yes, absolutely. Our new strategic plan does articulate those goals. I hope you don't mind and don't think it's inappropriate, but I'll definitely be reaching out to you to support us in terms of how we can convince bureaucrats and the government to make sure that we can get the funding required to make that a priority again, because we're very anxious and deliberative in our intent to do so.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Okay. Thank you both very much.

Mr. Cameron, on behalf of the committee, I certainly want to thank you for your presentation today and for answering our questions. More than that, on behalf of every member of the committee, I thank Katimavik for the work that you do with young people. I have a couple of friends just five houses from where I'm sitting who were in a Katimavik program in the early 1980s. They're up here, have three kids and are still married, so they're doing well. Neither one was from P.E.I., but they came here.

[John-Frederick Cameron]

Thank you so much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Go ahead, Mr. Poilievre.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

I have a motion. Here it is:

That the Standing Committee on Finance hold an additional meeting on its study into government spending, WE Charity and the Canada Student Service Grant on Wednesday, August, 19, for three hours in length; that each party can submit witnesses; and that the meeting focus on WE contracting NATIONAL Public Relations and the ability to deliver the program in the province of Quebec.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

You better read that again. You're talking about meeting for three hours on Wednesday. It is in order, as it's related to the business we're doing, but could you read it again? People don't have a copy. Take your time.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

It says, “That the Standing Committee—”

[Rhéal Fortin, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

I'd just like to suggest a friendly amendment.

August 19 is impossible for us because we'll be in caucus all next week. The motion seems desirable to me, but I don't know if Mr. Poilievre would be somewhat flexible as far as the date is concerned.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Perhaps we could agree—

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

I'll come in for a minute, Mr. Poilievre. It's really the whips, at the end of the day, who have to decide when we meet, in any event. If it was left broad enough, with a three-hour meeting next week, I think that would do it, but the whips have to decide, because of the Zoom business in Parliament.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Fortin, is it true that you won't be available at all next week?

[Rhéal Fortin, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Our members will be in the Gaspé until Thursday evening. I'll be on my way back on Friday, and it takes 12 hours to get home. So I won't be able to make myself available.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

All right.

Mr. Chair, could I suggest that next week we have a meeting of our sub-committee with a representative from each party to plan our next steps? It could be by telephone, and it wouldn't be necessary to have a Zoom meeting. The meeting would obviously be in camera to plan the list of future witnesses and upcoming meetings.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Sure. I think we can agree to that. That's not a problem. We should try to find out where we're at anyway and when we can direct the analysts to start to write a report with the documents coming down.

We'll have to try to plan it. I think it pretty much has to be a video conference because of the interpretation, but we can figure that out. We can commit to having a subcommittee meeting at some point next week, because it will have to be worked out with the various members, along with whether they can attend.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

It would just be a planing meeting, not a meeting with witnesses.

Does that work for you, Mr. Fortin?

[Rhéal Fortin, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Yes, I could free myself up for about 30 minutes for a planning meeting, but not for three hours.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Okay, I understand. That's great.

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

The meeting will last a maximum of an hour.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Mr. Julian, I can't hear you.

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

It should work now. My microphone isn't on mute, and I'm on the French channel.

Can you hear me now?

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

It's okay, yes. Speak.

[Rhéal Fortin, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

It's always better when you speak French, Mr. Julian.

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

It's always a pleasure.

Mr. Fortin, I think this committee meeting will last between half an hour and an hour. So I'm going to support Mr. Poilievre's motion and your amendment.

[Rhéal Fortin, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Thank you.