Evidence of meeting #26 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 40th Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was money.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Bloc
Diane Bourgeois Bloc Terrebonne—Blainville, QC
I see. Thank you.
I have one last question for Mr. Robins from AECL. In the conclusion of your speaking notes, you made the following statement: “Vote 35 funding has enabled AECL to invest in these important jobs, and to improve the safety of its nuclear infrastructure.” Why did you say “has enabled”? Have you created new important jobs, or did you just keep the people that you needed? I am also wondering about the phrase “improve the safety of its nuclear infrastructure.”
Senior Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
Approximately 300 new jobs will be created as a result of vote 35 over the next six months within AECL, and approximately 150 new jobs will be created in the surrounding area.
Conservative
Chris Warkentin Conservative Peace River, AB
I want to move back to tourism for a moment. I'm not from an area that has a huge tourism industry, but I have learned a few things from the local tourist operators. In terms of the Canadian economy, I'm wondering if anybody has the statistics as it pertains to tourism, to the effect and the benefit that Canadians have as a result of the tourist industry, and to how it might relate to the GDP of other industries.
A recent statistic I heard recently is that tourism itself brings in as much money to the Canadian economy as forestry, agriculture, and something else combined. This was an interesting analysis or an interesting picture for me to understand the importance of tourism.
Mr. Lindsey, I'm wondering if you have that information available and at your fingertips.
Chief Financial Officer, Department of Industry
As it happens, I can confirm the 2%. Tourism represents about 2% of GDP.
I'm afraid I can't give you a comparison, say, with forestry or other sectors. I don't have that, but I can confirm that tourism represents about 2% of GDP.
Conservative
Chris Warkentin Conservative Peace River, AB
Obviously, during the downturn, this is probably one of the industries that are initially hit. It's a common experience in all of our households. Those who are maybe even listening may relate to the fact that when our household budgets are reduced we quit travelling, and tourism is one of the things we cross off the shopping list first. Obviously we're going to take a hit, because a lot of our industry depends on international visitors. There are far fewer people looking to travel here in Canada, never mind internationally.
I'm wondering if you could paint a little bit of a picture in terms of the $30 million. Originally, you said that at this point it's very difficult, almost impossible, to say how many jobs are going to be created or how many jobs are going to be maintained as a result of the marquee festival. Could give us an understanding of the anticipated reduction in tourist dollars over this coming year? Have there been any assessments, either inside government or outside government, as it pertains to the industry?
I think it's important that we stress just how important these international festivals and the promotion of these festivals are to the industry. They have such an important role for many communities across the country.
Chief Financial Officer, Department of Industry
If that analysis has been done, I don't have the results of it. Can I undertake to see if that has been done and get back to you?
Conservative
Chris Warkentin Conservative Peace River, AB
I appreciate that. It would be helpful for the committee. Maybe we'll have to wait to see the assessments of these investments until after the events have in fact taken place. I know that Industry has undertaken many programs. This is just one of the many that fall under the Industry bailiwick. We would be interested in ensuring that there was a positive result of our investment as well.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Derek Lee
Thank you.
I'm going to ask a question. We're coming up to the close of the meeting time.
The government, in its economic stimulus package, apparently did not select any one particular minister to drive the overall policy. The responsibility for developing the programming and spending is disbursed among several ministers.
I'm going to ask this question to each of the witnesses from their own perspective. Who gave you the leadership or the exhortation to develop this spending under this economic stimulus program, this package? Where did you get the instructions, the guidance, and the leadership that brought you to provide special focus to this particular set of spending authorities? It might have been in a memo; it might have been at a meeting. I'm just going to ask you where it came from.
I'll go to Mr. Watson first.
Associate Deputy Minister, Western Economic Diversification
Thank you.
Well, in the case of the Canada Business Network, it was laid out in the budget itself. It's a program we have been working with for quite some time, so it's simply a continuation of work we have been doing in the past, albeit with a new amount of money that was announced in the budget to continue the types of work we were doing in a different circumstance.
Similarly, what I can say with RInC—and I think it's a sort of theme as well—is that RInC is a type of program we have a lot of experience working with. Another type of similar project came to us, and it was developed very collaboratively, with all the regional development agencies being involved in it; with Transport Canada and Infrastructure Canada being involved in it, and also other departments.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Derek Lee
Okay, but with all due respect, that sounds very routine: “This is an area the department has all this experience with, and yeah, we'll do it.” I'm asking you whether you're delivering any new octane to this initiative, whether a minister or a deputy minister or.... Did anyone ever say, “Get the lead out and get back to me in 30 days”? Did anyone say, “Get the lead out and get this money into the pipeline”? You haven't had that in your particular department yet?
Associate Deputy Minister, Western Economic Diversification
We had that conversation, but the timeline was nowhere as long as 30 days. That would have been—
Associate Deputy Minister, Western Economic Diversification
It was very short, and yes, absolutely, this has been a pressing concern of my minister all along, and from the day after the budget we have been called to any number of meetings by my minister, by other departments. This has been a number one priority.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Derek Lee
Thank you. That's what I wanted to hear.
Okay, Mr. Lindsey, what about your shop?
Conservative
Paul Calandra Conservative Oak Ridges—Markham, ON
On a point of order, after this is there any future business, or initiatives, and so on?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Derek Lee
Is that a point of order or is it a point of information?
I don't think we have any future business. I'm not finished my questioning.
Conservative
Paul Calandra Conservative Oak Ridges—Markham, ON
I have another meeting to run to, so I just wanted to--
Chief Financial Officer, Department of Industry
We took our direction from the budget. Nothing for which we were allocated funds from vote 35 was not mentioned in chapter 3 of the budget. It said “government priorities” and made pretty clear that certain of those priorities were the responsibility of the Department of Industry or the ministry of industry to deliver. Has there been an imperative to act quickly? Absolutely there has. Has there been an equal imperative to act responsibly? Absolutely.
Liberal
Chief Financial Officer, Department of Industry
In my case, it's coming from my deputy minister directly.