Government Operations Committee on Nov. 18th, 2010

[Sanjeev Chowdhury]

No.

[Siobhan Coady, Liberal, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

So this is the first time you actually purchased dishware for future opportunities.

[Sanjeev Chowdhury]

We have transferred the asset to the National Capital Commission, but you can be sure that if we do have another event we will be knocking on their door to borrow back those pieces of pottery.

[Siobhan Coady, Liberal, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

I would hope you would, at that price.

How much time do I have left?

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

You have 27 seconds.

[Siobhan Coady, Liberal, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

I don't think we can get much done in 27 seconds.

Thank you very much for coming. We have a ton of questions, as you can appreciate. I'd like to get to some of the dollar values around some of these projects and where they were located again, but I think we'll have to leave that for another time.

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Thank you, Madam Coady.

Mr. Calandra, five minutes.

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I want to follow up, Mr. Chowdhury, on something you said. You said that some of the place settings were being sent to the NCC for use in official residences. Presumably they could end up at the official residence of the leader of the opposition.

[Sanjeev Chowdhury]

Theoretically, yes.

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

Has he called you to say he doesn't want any of them?

[Sanjeev Chowdhury]

No, I haven't received any calls.

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

I didn't think so.

Let me ask you this. One of the things I see as a success of the summit, the G-20, and in particular the G-20 in the climate of a global economic downturn starting with Pittsburgh, was the ability of the world leaders--and in this case of the G-20, I think it was 20 of the world leaders representing 95% of the world's population--coming together to try to chart a course back to prosperity for the global economy, which seems to have worked.

One of the things that the local businesses in my riding of Oak Ridges—Markham said was most beneficial to them was the ability to connect with other people. In particular, what followed after was the state dinner with the Prime Minister of India. Of course our government has recently entered into free trade negotiations with India. We've really revitalized the relationship between Canada and India. And I have to believe that international events like these, the G-8 and the G-20, offer us an incredible opportunity to develop these types of relationships in the lead-up to the events. The G-20s are not just three-day events. There's a lot of work that goes in beforehand with the ministers of finance and other officials. Am I right on that?

[Sanjeev Chowdhury]

Yes, you're correct. In fact, we had 29 different meetings in the lead-up to the actual summits, all held across Canada in different places to prepare for those summits. So we had a number of visitors from the different countries here throughout the year visiting Canada.

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

Mr. Conrad, it was said that you were a bit uncomfortable earlier. I thought you were comfortable. I thought you'd been very good and very open with your answers.

I note, of course, that there have been other legacy funds. We've talked extensively about the legacy fund that was in Nova Scotia, and I think they were great projects. I don't know if any of the world leaders in 1995 visited the Bluenose. I don't remember that. I don't remember if they actually toured the peace monument. In 1995, I think it was our government that finally recognized the importance of Pier 21 and put resources into it. So this is the usual course. Legacy funds are something that's done in cooperation with the Department of Foreign Affairs. We highlight local artists, we bring tourism to a region. This is the normal course for events of these types.

[Bryce Conrad]

Yes. As I indicated earlier, it's not unusual.

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

I guess my final remark is more of a comment than a question.

We heard the Ontario Restaurant Hotel and Motel Association identify the summit as its stimulus, as one of the most important opportunities to bring people into the city of Toronto to their hotels and restaurants. It was not just the summit itself, but the lead-up to the summit.

I talked to my chief of police, Chief Armand La Barge, about the success of the York Regional Police in cooperating with respect to the summit and how well it worked in getting police forces from across the country to work together.

I've heard nothing but success after success. I think the work done by the departments is truly unbelievable in the short timeframe we were given--the international summits, the implementation of economic action plans.

What has happened in this country since 2008, since I've been elected, has been truly remarkable. I would suggest that if those regions of the country are so against holding summits you could bring the summit to my part of the country any time you like. York Region is always ready, willing, and able to host international summits and to host the people of the world.

As a final comment, I'd say this. The provincial minister of public safety and security is a gentleman by the name of Rick Bartolucci. The commissioner of police in Ontario was a gentleman by the name of Julian Fantino. The former member of Parliament for Vaughan was a gentleman by the name of Maurizio Bevilacqua. I wonder, if these gentlemen didn't have Italian last names, if the opposition would be so willing to say these people were corrupt--

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Mr. Calandra, your time is over, and that, in my judgment, is entirely out of order.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Thank you. It's entirely out of order, and on a point of order, I don't think you can stop there, Mr. Chairman. You can't let that go without asking him to withdraw those remarks. It's offensive to all of us here.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Is it the will of the committee for Mr. Calandra to be asked to withdraw?

[Some hon. members]

Yes.

No.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Send him home--to the showers.

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

There are members of this committee who find different things that are said from time to time to be offensive, and oftentimes they find it offensive if it's true. When the opposition came up with a conspiracy based on individuals, of which there is no evidence, of which the evidence actually speaks to the contrary of the conspiracy they're bringing forward--

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

The man's alleging we were motivated by racism, Mr. Chairman.

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

If you look at the conspiracy the Liberal Party is bringing forward--

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

The man is alleging we were motivated by racism in that remark, and I won't tolerate it.