Evidence of meeting #141 for Foreign Affairs and International Development in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was monitoring.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

May 14th, 2019 / 10:25 a.m.

Liberal

Frank Baylis Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC

Mr. Chair, I just want to reflect on what was said here.

The OECD produces a report. It has an annual global anti-corruption and integrity forum that produces a report every year. They do a very in-depth study on this. To Mr. O'Toole's point that they don't have the resources and we have more, I would seriously question him on that. They just produced a report, a 224-page report, laying out.... How many companies did they look at? There were 890 companies, of which 695 got deferred prosecution agreement settlements. His position that we have more resources or that we know more than they do holds no water whatsoever. Out of those 890 companies that were looked at, three of them were Canadian.

Yes, it is important that we keep Canadians' reputation clean, but for me, if there have been 890 and three of them are Canadian, I'm not so worried about it. I don't think we need to do this. I'd let the OECD do its job. I think it's doing that very well.

10:25 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Michael Levitt

MP Aboultaif.

10:25 a.m.

Conservative

Ziad Aboultaif Conservative Edmonton Manning, AB

Just in response to the comment about three companies, all it took was one company to ruin 115 others. One Canadian company, SNC-Lavalin, has dragged another 115 Canadian companies with it. This is not about the number. They could be small companies, but a company the size of SNC-Lavalin that is a multinational enterprise is already damaging the reputations of 115 affiliated Canadian businesses. This is very serious. This is not something anyone should take lightly.

I emphasize the point that this is beyond partisanship. Guys, this is beyond partisanship. Regardless of how you see it, please employ your conscience on this one. This is very important.

10:25 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Michael Levitt

Thank you very much.

Seeing no other questions, we shall call the question on this.

10:25 a.m.

An hon. member

I would like a recorded vote, Mr. Chair.

10:25 a.m.

A voice

I would like a recorded vote.

10:25 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Michael Levitt

Okay, from both of you—got it—a recorded vote.

(Motion negatived: nays 5; yeas 4 [See Minutes of Proceedings])

10:30 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Michael Levitt

I think that's the end of our business today.

Again, thank you to members for the unanimous passing of our Africa report.

We will reconvene on Thursday morning.

The meeting is adjourned.