Evidence of meeting #62 for Foreign Affairs and International Development in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was results.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
Heather McPherson NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
I feel like $1.3 billion has gone out. Is that not accurate?
Deputy Minister, International Development, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
No. It's been allocated to FinDev.
NDP
Heather McPherson NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Okay. Thank you.
Minister, we've heard about the Africa strategy. Has it been downgraded to an African framework now?
Liberal
NDP
Heather McPherson NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
My understanding is that the government was engaging in the creation of an Africa strategy. At this point, we've been informed that it's been downgraded to an African framework.
I'd like some clarification on whether that has happened and why.
Liberal
Harjit S. Sajjan Liberal Vancouver South, BC
First of all, I wasn't working on the Africa strategy. This is an area of focus that we've had for a very long time. I know that when it comes to the work we do, this is an area where we have actually increased and integrated our work. For example—
NDP
Heather McPherson NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
So there's no Africa strategy being created by the Government of Canada.
Liberal
Harjit S. Sajjan Liberal Vancouver South, BC
I think I know what you're talking about. In terms of the work that's being done, it's a little bit more.... I won't be able to explain it here in the short period that we have, but I can assure you—
NDP
Liberal
Harjit S. Sajjan Liberal Vancouver South, BC
I could probably take it off-line and explain it to you.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ali Ehsassi
Ms. McPherson, I'm afraid you're out of time. Thank you.
We will now go to Mr. Genuis for four minutes.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Thank you, Chair.
Maybe the Africa strategy was in an email somewhere.
Minister, I think we're having some challenges around seeing results, to be blunt about it. The Auditor General says you're not measuring results when it comes to improving the lives of women and girls. Bill C-41 is deeply flawed. The budget reverses various aid commitments. We have the whole issue of emails being checked during a crisis. That's beyond many of the other issues we've had at the Department of Defence.
I think the challenge from this committee to you is that we want to see results. We want to see outcomes. We don't just want to see good intentions. We want to see positive results.
I want to zero in first on a follow-up to my colleague's questions on the Auditor General. It's not clear to me if you fully accept and agree with the conclusions of the Auditor General in what was a very damning report. I want to hear from you, the minister: Do you accept and fully agree with the conclusions of the Auditor General?
Liberal
Harjit S. Sajjan Liberal Vancouver South, BC
Not only did we accept all the recommendations, in fact, I had direct discussions with the Auditor General—
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
It's great that you had a discussion. Just a “yes” would be wonderful.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Yes. Okay. That's fantastic.
Does that mean you're committed to actually measuring outcomes going forward and revising the things you're measuring? Right now, you're measuring indicators but not outcomes at an overall level. Are you committed to fully measuring outcomes going forward?
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Okay, and when do you think that change will be fully implemented?
Liberal
Harjit S. Sajjan Liberal Vancouver South, BC
The plan is being put together right now. We had a good briefing on it. Actually, the work has already started on this.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
At what point will the Auditor General be able to come back and say, “Here's a check mark—it's done”?
Liberal
Harjit S. Sajjan Liberal Vancouver South, BC
In fact, we'll actually be working with the Auditor General in terms of the plan we have, making sure that it actually meets their expectations so that there's no mistaken interpretation on the recommendations.
Conservative
Liberal
Harjit S. Sajjan Liberal Vancouver South, BC
I can't give you a timeline just yet because we're working on the plan.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Okay.
Generally if you're making a plan and you're trying to achieve results, you have a timeline: We're going to try to achieve it by “this point”. So as that becomes available—
