Government Operations Committee on Nov. 29th, 2012

[Daniel Jean]

As one of the reductions announced in last year's budget as part of the effort to reduce the deficit, the International Expositions Program was cancelled. It was a program used either to prepare a bid or to do related work. It was also used to fund bid committees for international expositions. The government had to make some difficult choices. It decided that international expositions are perhaps not the best way to promote Canada, given the new media.

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

What were the approximate annual costs of supporting those programs?

[Daniel Jean]

About $8.85 million annually.

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

The other savings you mentioned were in the Canada Interactive Fund. I do not know that program very well.

Could you tell me what the Canada Interactive Fund did and what needs it was meeting?

[Daniel Jean]

The Canada Interactive Fund was created to make it possible for organizations to promote new ideas, in terms of their activities, by using the new media. The fund was set up several years ago, but unfortunately the type of application was not what had been hoped. In fact, there were not a huge amount of innovations at all. A lot of people asked us to pay for their websites and things of that nature. It was more about current expenses.

There were difficult choices to make. When you look at that one, you see that the program was not providing the anticipated results.

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

What criteria did you use to choose the programs that you had to reduce or completely cancel?

[Daniel Jean]

We presented the minister with options for the programs that were giving the least convincing results. Against that background, given the effort that had to be made to reduce the deficit, choices had to be made between the programs that were not giving us the results and those that were giving us good results and that we wanted to protect. The choices were obvious.

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

I see that there are supplementary requests in sport, for the Pan American Games, for example, and for ParticipACTION.

Is it the goal of Canadian Heritage to support sport activities more and more?

[Daniel Jean]

As you know, Sport Canada is a part of Canadian Heritage. The Minister of State (Sport) is one of the ministers within Canadian Heritage. The goal is certainly to encourage youth to be active. We also have a tradition of hosting large events and promoting excellence in sport. The Pan American Games really are a large event that we are hosting; they are a way to promote sporting excellence and to motivate young people to want to emulate the model.

The Grand défi Pierre Lavoie and ParticipACTION, for example, are really designed to encourage young people to be active.

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

How confident are you about the Pan American Games budget? Because unexpected things always come up when it comes to sporting infrastructure and building major facilities.

[Daniel Jean]

As you know, the federal government is contributing $500 million for infrastructure, legacies, government services, the reports we receive and those we are part of.

Because of the auditing that is being done, everything is evolving correctly at this stage.

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

What will be the government's approach if the City of Toronto and the Government of Ontario asked for more money to put on the Pan American Games?

[Daniel Jean]

The maximum contribution from the Government of Canada is $500 million for the three envelopes I mentioned. It will not be more than that.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Thank you, Bernard. That's right on for five minutes. Perfect.

Jean-François Larose.

[Jean-François Larose, NDP, Repentigny, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I also thank our guests. My thanks to Daniel Jean for being so specific.

Were the $14.4 million for the Pan American Games and the $5 million for the Grey Cup imposed on you or did you ask for them?

[Daniel Jean]

Those are two different things.

Let us start with the Pan American Games. We have a program for hosting major international events like the Olympic Games, the Pan Am and Parapan American Games, or a world athletics championships like we had in Moncton a few years ago. We have a program that allows us to help all of them. For very major events, like the Olympics or the Pan American Games, the government has to make a supplementary contribution, because the costs are very high.

The decision about the Pan American Games was made around 2008-2009. The commitment of the federal government was to assist up to an amount of $500 million.

[Jean-François Larose, NDP, Repentigny, QC]

I understood that, but you did not answer my question.

Were those things imposed on you at the Department of Canadian Heritage? It is a simple question. I just find it odd…

[Daniel Jean]

No, they were not imposed on us. Like any request for a major event, an organizing committee gets together. An analysis is done and an opinion is provided to the minister who decides…

[Jean-François Larose, NDP, Repentigny, QC]

Is that just for sports, or does it happen for other things?

[Daniel Jean]

It happens for any public policy initiative, or something that requires a public policy approach or funding. It is the same process. Opinions are provided to the minister and the minister discusses it in cabinet.

[Jean-François Larose, NDP, Repentigny, QC]

I find it odd that there is a department of sport. It seems to me that they do their own promotion. Why is Canadian Heritage in the business of promoting sport?

[Daniel Jean]

No. Sport Canada comes under the Department of Canadian Heritage. Canadian Heritage has various mandates: heritage is one mandate; culture is another and official languages is another. The Minister of Canadian Heritage is also the Minister of Official Languages. Sport Canada is part of the Department of Canadian Heritage. It is a department. Our minister responsible for sport is a minister of state.

[Jean-François Larose, NDP, Repentigny, QC]

I am trying to understand the structure.

[Daniel Jean]

I am happy to help, sir.

[Jean-François Larose, NDP, Repentigny, QC]

Do you get the feeling that Radio-Canada will not be participating as much in the Olympic Games?