Evidence of meeting #11 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 42nd Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was transformation.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski
Okay, we will continue then. We'll have two more five-minute questions, and then I'll adjourn the formal part of this meeting.
For five minutes, we will start with Mr. McCauley.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
You mentioned there are service credits from Bell and CGI. I'm wondering what those credits are. Is it a financial total? Are our contracts robust enough, so there's—I don't want to call it penalties—proper delivery requirements from them?
President, Shared Services Canada
The credits are financial, and we can apply them against services.
President, Shared Services Canada
Yes. We can apply those against services the vendor is providing.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Yes. In your view, were the contracts severe enough or good enough?
Chief Operating Officer, Shared Services Canada
I have to say we have a well structured contract in the case of ETI. When I came in, I was concerned, but I'm not now. We're good at this.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Good.
We're reducing the space we're using for the data servers from 600,000 square feet to 180,000 feet. Is that brand new land purchased? Is it built? Do we get anything back from that 600 square feet or is it just 600 tiny little closets that we're returning to various offices in old buildings? Are they generally from wherever there's an open space?
Chief Operating Officer, Shared Services Canada
The answer is all over the place. In certain cases this was leased space, in other cases it was government-owned space. It's returned for whatever other purposes the owner has.
Conservative
Chief Operating Officer, Shared Services Canada
In certain cases. It depends.
Conservative
Chief Operating Officer, Shared Services Canada
If we're paying a lease, then obviously we stop paying the lease, we stop paying the electricity, and that's where the savings come from.
Conservative
Steven Blaney Conservative Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC
Regarding data centres, what is the amount of subcontracting you mentioned? You have this $2 billion. Who are the main subcontractors you're working with to provide this service to the many departments?
Chief Operating Officer, Shared Services Canada
Of the three enterprise data centres that we have, one is government owned. It's on a DND base, a forces base. That is at Borden. In Gatineau, the Buckingham data centre is actually leased space from Bell. The third one is an IBM-leased data centre.
Conservative
Steven Blaney Conservative Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC
Who are you working with in terms of technology to get the server? Do you have long-term contracts with companies to maintain those systems, those databases?
Chief Operating Officer, Shared Services Canada
They happen two different ways. One is, if we're obtaining a managed service, oftentimes the equipment is part of that price we would pay, just like the manpower, tools, etc. In other cases, if what you're asking is whether we have a single preferred vendor, the answer is no. We go to the market. We have a variety of standing offers. We do specific procurements when necessary.
Conservative
Steven Blaney Conservative Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC
Which one would you recommend that we visit among those centres?
President, Shared Services Canada
If you had the time, it would be best to go to the data centre in Barrie, but there's one in Gatineau that is very convenient.
Conservative
