Evidence of meeting #87 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 shared.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Personally, I would like to hear a lot more fleshing out from Global Affairs on the security issue. I understand the intent of it, but it doesn't sound as though there's a strong plan set in place for going forward. That's my only concern. I understand what Mr. Parker was saying about moving off some of the.... Again we'll go back to keyboards, because they're a common thing brought up. There doesn't seem to be a plan put in place.
What if half of the department says, “Forget it. I'm not interested in passing that work off”? We're not going to relieve Shared Services of any extra burden if only 12,000 of the 24,000 transactions are moved off.
NDP
The Vice-Chair NDP Erin Weir
Is it your sense that we might consider another meeting on this topic, or is that information we can seek in writing?
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
No, I don't think another meeting is warranted. I'm just expressing my concerns. I perhaps understand the intent of the legislation, now that we've heard it, but it doesn't sound as though it's firm enough in the plans of these guys that everything will be moved off to the departments. It could end up as just a mishmash of Shared Services doing some of the work and others doing some of it. It doesn't really sound as though Global Affairs has a keen grasp of the security issues. They may have, but I didn't get that sense from the question.
Liberal
Nick Whalen Liberal St. John's East, NL
We're talking about the particulars, and I think what was mentioned is that they haven't provided any specific advice on the scope of the order in the council or of the minister's letter that's going to direct this. If that happens over the summer, it could be part of our fall study on procurement: how the authorities have been delegated, whether or not it's working, whether or not security concerns have been taken into account. That's all part of the general procurement study, in my opinion.
NDP
The Vice-Chair NDP Erin Weir
I think it can certainly be part of the general procurement study. I also think we should probably respond to the finance committee sooner than that on what we think of these provisions. I'm not hearing a lot of objections to them, but I want to be open to them.
Liberal
Nick Whalen Liberal St. John's East, NL
Oh, no, that's what I meant. The details aren't before us; they won't be before us until the fall.
Liberal
Robert-Falcon Ouellette Liberal Winnipeg Centre, MB
As someone on the finance committee, I would suggest that you be done with this matter by this week, because we're doing clause-by-clause examination on the 29th.
Liberal
Kyle Peterson Liberal Newmarket—Aurora, ON
Referring to the motion from the finance committee, we were given a deadline of May 19, for what that's worth.
Liberal
Kyle Peterson Liberal Newmarket—Aurora, ON
We're not bound, certainly, by the decisions of the finance committee, but if we want to help them, I think the deadline should be—
NDP
The Vice-Chair NDP Erin Weir
Are we comfortable reporting to the finance committee by that deadline that we've looked at these provisions and that while there may be different views on the committee about how the government should use them, we think they're acceptable provisions of the legislation?
Liberal
Kyle Peterson Liberal Newmarket—Aurora, ON
The motion contemplates some sort of recommendations to the finance committee.
Liberal
Kyle Peterson Liberal Newmarket—Aurora, ON
I'm just saying that the motion from the finance committee contemplated our proffering them some recommendations by the May 19 deadline.
NDP
The Vice-Chair NDP Erin Weir
Would someone here perhaps like to make a motion that we report to the finance committee that we've studied these provisions and are not proposing any amendments to them?
NDP
The Vice-Chair NDP Erin Weir
Unless there is debate on that motion, is it acceptable to the committee? Is there consensus to adopt it?