Foreign Affairs Committee on Nov. 27th, 2025

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Oakville East, ON]

That's exactly what I was trying to say throughout this testimony.

In indicating that economic resilience and diversified supply chains are important and in indicating that Canada is focusing on the defence and security of our country, we are undertaking those objectives always with our core values at the forefront of our diplomacy and our foreign policy. Those core values relate to human rights; gender equality; environmental sustainability; non-discrimination, generally speaking, across multiple demographic groups; and reconciliation. In fact, ensuring that our policy is infused with our core values provides strength to our foreign policy.

I think the question is astute for that reason. We have to remember that we're in a time of stress globally. The geostrategic environment has changed substantially and the world trading order has changed substantially, and Canada's foreign policy must respond.

That does not mean we are sacrificing our commitment to human rights and our core values. What it means is we will take on the objectives of defence and security and economic robustness domestically and with our core values at the forefront of our foreign policy.

[Rob Oliphant, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

Thank you, Minister. I think that's well articulated.

The difficulty is that our system of government is not the same as those in other countries. There are many different styles of government, many different regimes. The American style is different from the Canadian style, which is different from the Chinese style and different from a kingdom and others. We go to those places with strength and with humility to say that we have to have these conversations, because Canada and Canadians want you to have these conversations. It will be our prosperity and security and our sovereignty that are at stake.

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Oakville East, ON]

The way in which I frame it is that diplomacy isn't about hiding under a rock and pretending the world's problems are going to vanish: Diplomacy is about actually sitting at the table and having conversations that may be difficult, but that are important to advance Canada's interests.

That's exactly what our foreign policy approach rests on. It's my personal approach that in a professional and diplomatic manner, it is important to advance Canada's interests on defence and security and on economic prosperity in terms of our core values. We can do that, and we must do that, on behalf of all Canadians.

[The Acting Chair, Liberal, Anita Vandenbeld]

Thank you.

I want to thank Minister Anand for being here today.

I thank the officials, Mr. Lévêque, Ms. McCardell and Mr. Epp. I understand that Ms. Carruthers will be staying with us for the next hour.

As we bring in the officials for the next panel, I will briefly suspend the meeting.

[The Acting Chair, Liberal, Anita Vandenbeld]

I call this meeting to order.

Thank you very much for being here. I want to thank Ms. Carruthers, who was here for the previous panel and is still here.

I want to welcome Catherine Jobin, who is the assistant deputy minister for strategy, policy and public affairs, and Leslie Norton, assistant deputy minister for international assistance partnerships, programming branch. Thank you very much for being here.

We will go immediately to the first round of questions.

Ms. Kramp-Neuman, you will have six minutes in this first round.

[Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Conservative, Hastings—Lennox and Addington—Tyendinaga, ON]

Thank you.

Thank you for being here.

The first question is this: How will the new budget calendar affect the estimates process? I mean the traditional spring schedule change.

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

Actually, as far as I'm aware, there won't be any major impacts in terms of the overall calendar, but the new process will allow items that are actually announced within the budget to make it into the main estimates.

Right now, as you would be aware, a lot of the items that we see within the supplementary estimates would have been announced during the budget of the previous cycle, so when the main estimates are actually tabled, parliamentarians wouldn't necessarily have a good view of what was actually announced in the budget.

What it will mean for departments is basically that we will have to bring our different submissions to the Treasury Board a little bit earlier in the cycle in order to make that deadline.

[Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Conservative, Hastings—Lennox and Addington—Tyendinaga, ON]

Can you share when the main estimates will be available for the fall budget?

[Shirley Carruthers]

Typically, the main estimates are tabled, I'm going to say, within the—

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

I have a point of order, Madam Chair.

For the benefit of the people listening to us across Canada, perhaps Ms. Kramp-Neuman could ask her question again, since the interpreter couldn't hear it. The microphone was off.

Thank you.

[The Acting Chair, Liberal, Anita Vandenbeld]

I'll ask you to repeat the question. I will take that off your time.

[Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Conservative, Hastings—Lennox and Addington—Tyendinaga, ON]

Thank you.

When will the main estimates be available for this fall's budget?

[Shirley Carruthers]

Typically, the main estimates are tabled before the beginning of the new fiscal year, so it's anywhere between the end of February and early March.

[Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Conservative, Hastings—Lennox and Addington—Tyendinaga, ON]

This year's departmental plan was significantly shorter than last year's, as we can appreciate. How did the truncated timeline affect GAC's ability to submit their developmental plan, at 51 pages compared to 73? Last year's is 44.2% longer than this year's.

[Shirley Carruthers]

Look, it's always a bit of a challenge, I'm going to say, for our department or for any large department to submit these reports on time. Folks work very hard on making sure we have the right information available to Canadians and to parliamentarians, just with respect to all of the good things the department is doing.

There are a lot of consultations, as you can imagine, within the department and, I think, a lot of additional complexity when you have departments that are run by more than one minister. Of course, it is very welcome that the Treasury Board Secretariat developed a new, more concise departmental plan format for departments to follow. It does reduce the overall administrative burden within the department and the red tape, so it's great.

[Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Conservative, Hastings—Lennox and Addington—Tyendinaga, ON]

Can we assume that the truncated timeline for this particular budget means more activity in the supplementary estimates?

[Shirley Carruthers]

That would be what I would be anticipating to see, certainly for our department in particular. We had some announcements within budget 2025. I know the department is working very hard to have those items approved in time to be included within the main estimates.

[Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Conservative, Hastings—Lennox and Addington—Tyendinaga, ON]

With regard to the departmental plan, the government has indicated a renewed interest in diversifying trade, mentioned as one of the five core responsibilities in the plan.

If you could explain this to me, by my math, the average dollar per employee being spent on core responsibility two is the lowest of the five. If we remove the other smallest responsibility, it is definitely the lowest, with around $182,000 per employee. Responsibility one, international aid, gets $416,000, and others are higher.

Is there an explanation for this? Perhaps you could get back to me in writing.

[Shirley Carruthers]

I'd probably prefer to get back to you in writing. I believe that core responsibility one is actually advocacy and diplomacy, but I may be mistaken, so we can definitely get back to you in writing.

[Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Conservative, Hastings—Lennox and Addington—Tyendinaga, ON]

Thank you.

Who is it that determines the criteria for the departmental result indicators and are they verified by an independent party, a third party?

[Shirley Carruthers]

Actually, my team is responsible for determining those indicators, working very closely with the programming branches just in terms of what it would be that would again help parliamentarians to assess whether or not we've been able to meet our objectives.

[Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Conservative, Hastings—Lennox and Addington—Tyendinaga, ON]

The number of investor visits to Canada facilitated by the trade commissioner services plummeted between 2022-23, and 2023-24, from 206 down to 142. Do we know why?

[Shirley Carruthers]

I don't personally know why, but I can check with the departmental officials and find you that answer.

[Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Conservative, Hastings—Lennox and Addington—Tyendinaga, ON]

Thank you.

There was some additional interesting language that I found on page 15:

Results we plan to achieve

Canada’s trade relationship with the United States is redefined and focused on outcomes that are mutually beneficial for both countries.

Collaboration with reliable trading partners and allies around the world is strengthened.

Does your department consider the United States to be a reliable trading partner?

[Shirley Carruthers]

I'm probably not the best person to answer that question, given my role within the department, but I think that obviously most Canadians would believe that's an important trading relationship.