Government Operations Committee on May 16th, 2017

[Nick Whalen, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

Yes.

In terms of our business of supply and where we see the funds flowing in our estimates and then in the public accounts, my understanding of the way it works now is that a department makes an acquisition request; Shared Services Canada makes the acquisition on their behalf; there's some type of a monetary transfer; and then it shows up in the numbers of Shared Services Canada for the year.

If we make this change, will it mean that the individual device purchases, the technology purchases, by government will show up in the individual departments for purchases under $25,000 and will no longer show up under Shared Services Canada?

[Alain Duplantie]

All of these low-value transactions are actually disbursements by departments that don't show up in the SSC's expenditures and public accounts.

If we go back to the 2014-15 main estimates, Shared Services' reference levels were increased by almost $96 million—and that was for the core software application area specifically. Workplace tools, the security software that's on desktops, PDF readers, and the like, all of the optional hardware that we've talked about today, are at the disbursement of departments.

[Nick Whalen, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

So there's no change?

[Alain Duplantie]

Correct.

[Nick Whalen, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

Okay. Great.

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Erin Weir]

I think we may have an extremely brief question from Mr. Ouellette.

[Robert-Falcon Ouellette, Liberal, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Thank you very much. I really appreciate the opportunity, Chair.

I was just reading proposed subsection 7.1(1) of Bill C-44:

For the purpose of providing services under this Act to a department through Shared Services Canada, the Minister may delegate any of his or her powers under section 7

Essentially, if we read the law technically, it doesn't just deal with USB keys and buying a mouse for your computer or something like that. If there is a need, for instance at the Department of National Defence, perhaps the potential exists that Shared Services Canada will not be providing any of those services for whatever reason. Could that be an accurate reading of that section of the legislation?

[Ron Parker]

There are additional caveats attached to that. For example, the department can receive the service in a part or portion of the department, but not in all of the department.

The intent is to be quite specific about the circumstances in which a department can obtain the services only in a portion of that department. International missions are the best example that we can think of.

[Robert-Falcon Ouellette, Liberal, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

But this is not what the law says. It says, “providing services under this Act...any of his or her powers”.

[Graham Barr]

Can I get in?

Actually, proposed section 7.1 refers to section 7 of the SSC act, which in turn refers to paragraphs 6(a), (b), (c), and (g) of the Department of Public Works and Government Services Act. In that act, there is a list of more specific services that are referenced in section 7.

[Robert-Falcon Ouellette, Liberal, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Thank you very much.

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Erin Weir]

We'll need to go now to the Conservatives, in case there's a final question or two there.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

I have one last quick question, Mr. Parker. You may have addressed it, and I may have missed it. If so, I'm sorry.

When we're talking about exceptional circumstances under clause 114, we mostly base this on Global Affairs. Do you think it would apply to other departments within the country itself? What would that cover would you think?

[Ron Parker]

The principal example that comes to mind, Mr. Chair, is a remote location, some place in Canada where we do not have SSC personnel or equipment.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Do you think this was mostly written specifically for remote locations within the country?

[Ron Parker]

Within the country.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Is that the general intent of it?

[Ron Parker]

That would be the general intent.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Thank you.

That's all I had, Mr. Chair.

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Erin Weir]

Thank you.

I'd like to thank and excuse our witnesses.

I'd like to take a few minutes as a committee to try to come to a conclusion and provide some guidance to our analysts concerning our response to the finance committee. I think the main question is whether we find these provisions of the budget implementation bill acceptable.

Mr. Whalen.

[Nick Whalen, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

I would suggest we go in camera for that and maybe take a quick bio break.

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Erin Weir]

My inclination is to always keep things public, but the committee certainly has the choice to go in camera if members feel that would be most appropriate.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

I'm fine in public. We don't have anything controversial.

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Erin Weir]

Okay.

I don't want to put words in anyone's mouth, but, Mr. McCauley, my sense is that from the Conservative side these provisions—

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Gentlemen, thanks.