Okay.
Evidence of meeting #8 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was works.
Evidence of meeting #8 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was works.
9:15 a.m.
Liberal
Omar Alghabra Liberal Mississauga—Erindale, ON
My question is, how many employees does the ministry—because I know there will be no answer....
9:15 a.m.
Minister of Public Works and Government Services
No, I'd be happy to. Do you want me to...?
9:15 a.m.
Minister of Public Works and Government Services
I'm with you; we are not in disagreement. I'm just saying that with respect to real estate, what do we want at the end of the day? We want the best deal for taxpayers. So let's not tie up the hands of the professionals at Public Works on the real estate side, tying them up with procedural processes that will actually do the reverse. Remember my rule. You asked me a good question, but remember the rule that we should always go out for tenders—always. But there are exceptions, and I gave you an example. When we're already in a building.... We've got people in Tim's group who know the real estate markets in every large city in Canada; he could tell you this morning what the going rate is for a B building of 4,000 square in Regina today—seriously.
9:20 a.m.
Liberal
Omar Alghabra Liberal Mississauga—Erindale, ON
But Minister, sorry, just for the sake of time, we've just had an example from the Auditor General, where they found a better, less expensive place that met the requirement in the original RFP, yet the department still ended up renting both properties.
9:20 a.m.
Minister of Public Works and Government Services
But Mr. Alghabra, I have to answer this. I know that building; I'm from Montreal. It's the most expensive building; they were in that building, but it was the wrong building for them to be in the first place. That's why the professionals knew there was a better deal elsewhere, but the ministers told each other, no, we're going to stay there because we prefer the spot.
9:20 a.m.
Liberal
Omar Alghabra Liberal Mississauga—Erindale, ON
Well, it wasn't the ministers. According to the official, it wasn't the ministers, but let me....
9:20 a.m.
Minister of Public Works and Government Services
No, it was. I'm sorry. We have letters. It was from the ministers.
9:20 a.m.
Liberal
Omar Alghabra Liberal Mississauga—Erindale, ON
Let me ask this. How many employees does the ministry have?
9:20 a.m.
Liberal
9:20 a.m.
Minister of Public Works and Government Services
Do you mean the entire department?
9:20 a.m.
Liberal
Omar Alghabra Liberal Mississauga—Erindale, ON
Okay.
There is a statement in the budget that says “the Government proposes to modify the benefit formulae of the public sector pension plans to better respect their original policy intent”. Can you please tell me what the department or government has in mind in modifying the pension plans of the employees?
9:20 a.m.
Minister of Public Works and Government Services
“Modifying”, that doesn't fall under Public Works, Mr. Alghabra.
9:20 a.m.
Liberal
Omar Alghabra Liberal Mississauga—Erindale, ON
So wouldn't you be aware or informed about any changes to a pension plan that includes the 13,000 employees?
9:20 a.m.
Minister of Public Works and Government Services
It's kind of nice of you to think that I should be aware, and maybe I should, sir, but I am not aware this morning. I am happy to make myself aware in the next few days, if you want me to, but I'm not aware of how the tweaking is taking place. Finance is probably the door you want to knock on.
