Foreign Affairs Committee on Dec. 6th, 2023

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

I call this meeting to order.

Welcome to meeting number 88 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development.

Today's meeting is taking place in a hybrid format, pursuant to the Standing Orders, and therefore members are attending in person in the room and as well as virtually by using the Zoom application.

I'd like to make a few comments for the benefit of members and our witnesses.

Before speaking, please wait until I recognize you by name. You may speak in the official language of your choice. Interpretation services are available. You have the choice at the bottom of your screen of floor, English or French.

Although this room is equipped with a powerful audio system, feedback events can occur. These can be extremely harmful to interpreters and cause serious injuries. I want to highlight that the most common cause of sound feedback is an earpiece worn too close to a microphone.

With regard to a speaking list, the committee clerk and I will do our very best to maintain a consolidated order of speaking for all members.

For the benefit of the members, I want to inform you that today we have five top-drawer students from Carleton University here in Ottawa, so welcome to all of you.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

As for the subject matter of today's session, as you're all fully aware, for the first 50 minutes we will focus on the supplementary estimates for 2023-24.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee will commence its study of the subject matter of supplementary estimates (B) for 2023-24, votes 1b, 5b and 10b under the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development, and vote 1b under the International Joint Commission.

I'd like to welcome our witnesses.

Today we have three witnesses from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development. We have with us Ms. Shirley Carruthers, assistant deputy minister and chief financial officer; we have Mr. Peter MacDougall, assistant deputy minister, global issues and development; and we also have with us Ms. Amanda Strohan, the director general, Indo-Pacific strategic policy, planning and operations.

It's my understanding that Ms. Carruthers is the one who has opening remarks.

You will be provided five minutes for your opening remarks, after which we will proceed with the members and the questions they may have.

Ms. Carruthers, the floor is yours. You have five minutes.

[Shirley Carruthers, Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Financial Officer, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development]

Thank you.

Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for the opportunity to be here to discuss Global Affairs Canada's supplementary estimates (B).

To begin, I would like to acknowledge that I am speaking from the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe people, and I am grateful to have the opportunity to be present in this territory.

Today I am joined by Peter MacDougall, assistant deputy minister of global issues and development, and Amanda Strohan, director general of Indo-Pacific strategic planning, policy and operations bureau.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to begin by outlining the scope of our mandate.

Under the leadership of three ministers, Global Affairs Canada is responsible for advancing Canada's values and interests internationally through diplomacy; developing and implementing foreign policy; promoting international trade while supporting Canadian business interests; being a leader in delivering international development assistance, including humanitarian assistance around the world; and providing consular assistance to the many Canadians who work, live and travel abroad.

To deliver this mandate and position Canada as a global leader, Global Affairs Canada operates 182 missions in 112 countries around the world, sometimes in the most difficult and high-risk environments. We do so in an evolving and challenging global political and economic climate.

The additional funding sought through these supplementary estimates will allow Canada to lead in demonstrating to Canadians and the world that our actions can make a real contribution to addressing the interconnected crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, strengthening Canada's partnerships and influence abroad and responding to the needs of the most vulnerable people in the world through the humanitarian development peace and security nexus.

Through the supplementary estimates (B), Global Affairs Canada is seeking an increase of $816.7 million to its current authorities of $7.6 billion, bringing our total authorities to $8.4 billion.

Much of the additional funding sought through these supplementary estimates will support the struggle against global climate change and advance the priorities of the government and Canadians.

More specifically, there is $430 million to deliver on a portion of Canada's climate finance commitment to help developing countries fight climate change through climate resilience and greenhouse gas emissions reduction. The funding will advance climate change mitigation and adaptation action with a focus on clean energy, nature-based solutions and green financing.

There is also $100 million to advance global health investments and to ensure that Global Affairs Canada can deliver on its 10-year commitment to global health rights. The funding will directly support improved health services and health systems for women and girls in developing countries.

There is $74 million to support the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and increase access to HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria health services for women and girls.

There is $65.9 million to support the global Middle East strategy. This funding will allow for programming of Global Affairs Canada's continued implementation of the strategy to address instability in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.

There is $63.6 million to support Global Affairs Canada's implementation of Canada's Indo-Pacific strategy through increased engagement in the Indo-Pacific region and enhanced economic linkages and trade and investment ties with the Indo-Pacific partners.

Is it time?

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Please accept my apologies; the interpreters are having a hard time hearing you, so could you just lean in a bit into the microphone?

Thank you.

[Shirley Carruthers]

Finally, there is $25 million to replenish the crisis pool quick release mechanism to address various international human crises.

The funding requested through these supplementary estimates will support Canada's role in addressing major global issues and will contribute to enhancing political and economic co-operation and engagement, particularly in eastern Europe and the Indo-Pacific regions, while also reinforcing Canada's leadership.

The department continues to measure performance and communicate results to Parliament and Canadians. We emphasize responsible financial management to deliver against our mandate and ensure the highest standards of service to Canadians, particularly those requiring assistance abroad.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My colleagues and I would be pleased to address any questions that you or other members may have about these supplementary estimates.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Thank you very much for that.

Now we proceed to questions from the members.

Mr. Chong, you have six minutes.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you to our witnesses for appearing for the estimates.

The Senate report today highlighted that a large proportion of Global Affairs Canada's full-time equivalents, 15%, are allocated to internal services such as communication services, financial management, human resources, IT management, oversight services and so on.

I know that in the Senate report they highlighted that places like Norway are looking at efficiencies to reduce the cost of internal services. Can you tell us what efforts Global Affairs Canada is making to reduce the overhead?

[Shirley Carruthers]

Thank you very much for the question.

Global Affairs Canada is trying to instill a culture of reallocation. This is something that was highlighted within our transformation implementation plan.

One of the ongoing initiatives right now is what we're calling a red tape reduction. Through this initiative we're actually engaging with partners across the organization, the folks who are abroad at missions and are subject to some of the policies that we impose on them from a headquarters perspective. We are identifying those things that are most administratively burdensome to the organization in an effort to try to reduce cost, create efficiencies, and of course make things a little easier for folks who are working in a very busy environment.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

The report also highlighted the cumbersome nature of the foreign service directives. Is there a move underfoot to rationalize those directives so that they're not as bureaucratic and cumbersome?

[Shirley Carruthers]

Foreign service directives are actually governed under the National Joint Council. Negotiations on reviewing those foreign service directives are normally done on a cyclical basis. It's called a cyclical review.

In the context of the transformation implementation plan, one of the things that are highlighted is to take a look at the foreign service directive. In the past it has been a cyclical process.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Part of the funding you're asking for is for the Indo-Pacific strategy. Can you tell us how much funding has already been allocated to date to implement the strategy? How has that funding been allocated to each of the five strategic objectives?

[Shirley Carruthers]

Thank you very much for the question. I'll hand it to my colleague Amanda in just one moment.

I'll start by saying that budget 2023 did announce a total of $2.26 billion in funding for the region. This is a whole-of-government strategy, as you're likely aware, that includes 16 government agencies.

Amanda, would you comment?

[Amanda Strohan, Director General, Indo-Pacific Strategic Policy, Planning and Operations, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development]

Thanks for the opportunity to respond to this question.

Global Affairs Canada will be receiving, under supplementary estimates (B), $63 million for this fiscal year for the implementation of the Indo-Pacific strategy. I'm afraid I don't have that broken down by strategic objective, but I can provide you a little bit of detail in terms of the different subinitiatives that that funding will be allocated to.

For example, the advancing international clean-tech demonstration initiative accounts for approximately $700,000 of that funding, while enhancements to the CanExport program account for approximately $7.5 million. For the team Canada trade missions, it's $4.1 million, and for the science and technology innovations partnerships, it's approximately $9 million.

Under cybersecurity, regional capacity enhancements and security partnerships and capacity-building account for a total of $23 million. Then a number of other initiatives, including the ASEAN-Canada Plan of Action Trust Fund, the disaster risk and resilience initiative, the expanded SEED scholarship program, the feminist international assistance policy enhanced funding and the regional capacity uplift account for approximately $23 million.

My apologies, but I'm going to correct myself: That second bucket was $18 million, and the third bucket is $23 million.

I can provide more detail on that if you're interested, but it is a very complex and dense list of initiatives.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

If you could provide it to the chair of the committee later, that would be great.

I have one last question. According to preliminary data from the OECD, last year Canada's official development assistance, our ODA, was 0.37% of GNI, or gross national income. I note that the estimates would provide additional funding for the international assistance envelope.

What does the Government of Canada estimate its ODA funding as a percentage of GNI will be for the fiscal year 2023-24?

[Shirley Carruthers]

I'm sorry, but I don't have that information with me, so we will have to get back to you with that.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

If you could, that would be helpful. Thank you.

Mr. Chair, I have no further questions.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Thank you, Mr. Chong.

We next move to MP Zuberi. You have six minutes.

[Sameer Zuberi, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you to the witnesses for being here.

I want to thank you for your detailed explanation of the estimates at the top.

You spoke about additional funds of $64 million for the Middle East. If I'm correct, between 2016 and 2022, the Government of Canada, with respect to its Middle East management, invested $4 billion in response to crises. Was that $4 billion?

[Shirley Carruthers]

Actually, the number is $4.6 billion since 2016.

[Sameer Zuberi, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

It's $4.6 billion.

I did a small calculation on that. If you divide that over six years, that is $666 million if it's $4 billion. Then $4.6 billion would make it higher, maybe about $700 million per year. You're asking for only $64 million right now. Is that right?

[Shirley Carruthers]

That's correct.

[Sameer Zuberi, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

Will the spending be drastically different from in the past?

[Shirley Carruthers]

If we're looking at the total amount that's been committed, $4.7 billion, that's our whole-of-government strategy. The number I'm referring to in these main estimates is just for the Department of Global Affairs. That's why, if you look at it just by dividing the number against the number of years, it won't match up to the amounts that we have in our current estimates.

[Sameer Zuberi, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

How does this $64 million relate to past spending on this particular region of the world?