Evidence of meeting #6 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 post.
A video is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Steven Blaney Conservative Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC
For the record, I would just like to mention regarding the disposal of assets that the Canada Lands Company, which already exists, produces this. The goal is to work with the industry and work on a consultation-based approach in pursuing community-oriented goals, environmental stewardship, and heritage commemoration. I've worked with the Canada Lands Company for the last decade and they are very good at the disposal of land.
With that, I'll switch to Mr. McCauley.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Thank you, sir.
I just want to follow up on my colleague's questions regarding your mandate letter. I'm probably approaching it from a different point of view. Instituting a modern fair wage policy contradicts your comment about making procurement easier for Canadian companies to do business with the government. You will end up excluding a huge number of family businesses, small businesses, and those who are working at a different competitive level.
How far down the path have you gone so far with the fair wage policy? We hear again and again: consult with Canadians, consult, consult, consult, and then we'll consult more. Are we doing this process with small businesses, non-union businesses, to discuss this fair wage policy and how it will affect procurement and a fairness process?
Liberal
Judy Foote Liberal Bonavista—Burin—Trinity, NL
The fair wage policy, of course, is something that would be looked at government-wide, not just through the Department of Public Services and Procurement Canada.
Conservative
Liberal
Judy Foote Liberal Bonavista—Burin—Trinity, NL
Having said that, it's something that we haven't engaged in at this point. It would be led by another agency of government. I would expect Treasury Board would be heavily involved in this.
Conservative
Liberal
Liberal
Judy Foote Liberal Bonavista—Burin—Trinity, NL
It's something we've been asked to look at, and we will look at it; but again, it would be government-wide.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Okay.
Are you committing to consult, consult, consult as we're hearing again, again, again?
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Perfect.
It sounds like you're not really far down the path of that right now.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
I think I've maybe answered Mr. Weir's question.
Getting back to the shipbuilding, we've seen in several reports that you're considering sending south the weapons packaging, some of the high-tech stuff and the real value-added stuff, the real industry-creating part of the shipbuilding industry. I realize there's money involved and we need the best value. However, a big part of the NSPS was recreating this dead industry. You've said you're not going to preclude anything. But how far down the path has government gone on looking to send this business outside the country?
Liberal
Judy Foote Liberal Bonavista—Burin—Trinity, NL
It is not our intention to send business outside the country. We are looking to make sure that work being done in Canada is of a high-tech nature, as well as any other opportunities that would become available.
We do realize we have to spend Canadian taxpayers' dollars wisely, but at the same time you bear in mind the trade-off in terms of the jobs that come with this.
It's a matter of consultation with industry, and we're doing that all the time, because they are our partners in this. So while we're the only—
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
I think the report said that from the tech side, they hadn't been consulted. They were taken a bit by surprise. Is that incorrect, then, maybe?
Liberal
Judy Foote Liberal Bonavista—Burin—Trinity, NL
We've been consulting. I'm surprised to hear that. We've been consulting with the Canadian industry on all facets of procurement.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
I have one last question, because I'm almost out of time.
With Shared Services, I realize it's been a very difficult process, Mr. Parker, but I wonder if you could very briefly update us on where we are with it. What other resources do you need to get everything working properly? We saw recently that there was a plan to put in a server station at Trenton, but no one had discussed it with DND, and they're in dispute about it. How far down the road are we to getting all these issues fixed?
In the audit report, you were short about 800 people. Is it lack of skilled people, a shortage of people, or a myriad of issues? We obviously want it to succeed.
President, Shared Services Canada
We're in the process, Mr. Chair, of looking at all of the assumptions underpinning the transformation plan and working towards putting forward a new, revised, and updated plan in the fall of this year.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski
Thank you so much, sir.
My list has Mr. Whalen next, for five minutes.
Liberal
Nick Whalen Liberal St. John's East, NL
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, everyone, for coming today.
I'll pick up again on the shipbuilding strategy. Many companies throughout Atlantic Canada are very encouraged by the independent process that allowed Irving Shipbuilding to win the award of the contract, and then there was silence, nothing. It almost feels as if the industry in Atlantic Canada, and indeed the country, on the shipbuilding side has atrophied after neglect. What is your department planning to do to move this file forward so that Canadians can get the ships built and the expected services delivered?
Liberal
Judy Foote Liberal Bonavista—Burin—Trinity, NL
Actually, we're very happy with what's happening with the shipyard in Halifax and Seaspan in Vancouver. They have started on their first builds, and we're very impressed with what we're seeing. They have invested the money. On Seaspan's front, they invested their own money to upgrade their facility. Halifax has also invested a considerable amount of money to upgrade the facility there.
We're very pleased with what we're seeing. We also see a real opportunity there for employment and other companies. Right now, 300 companies have benefited from the work that has already taken place both in Halifax and in Vancouver, and those are companies throughout the country.
That will be part of our update when we give our quarterly updates. It will certainly be part of our fall update. You will be able to see exactly where the money's being spent, what companies are availing of opportunities through the shipbuilding industry, how many people are being employed, and the types of contracts they are getting.
You will see it isn't just windows and doors, as was suggested, but some high-tech work as well. It's important that we take advantage of every opportunity for Canadian companies to avail of the work and offer the jobs.
Liberal
Nick Whalen Liberal St. John's East, NL
It's great to hear that this is finally moving forward.
I'll go on to the issue of cybersecurity, and I thank Mr. Drouin for opening with his comments earlier.
From the perspective of the estimates process, it seems like quite a large increase is being request on that particular line item. I realize it's extremely important. I can't tell from the way the estimates are structured how much of the line item was dedicated to cybersecurity in the larger, whatever it is, $1.5 billion, or how much of that was cybersecurity before.
What does the department expect the rate of increase to be in the costs of cybersecurity protection efforts going forward? What can Canadians expect on that front? What is the delta we're currently looking at year over year in terms of increases in the costs of protecting our network infrastructure from cyberterrorism?