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.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Ron Parker  President, Shared Services Canada
Arun Thangaraj  Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Planning, Finance and Information Technology, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Len Bastien  Defence Chief Information Officer and Assistant Deputy Minister, Information Management, Department of National Defence
Alain Duplantie  Senior Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Financial Officer, Shared Services Canada
Martin Loken  Chief Information Officer and Director General, Information Management and Technology, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Graham Barr  Director General, Strategic Policy, Planning and Reporting, Shared Services Canada
Clerk of the Committee  Mr. Philippe Grenier-Michaud

9:45 a.m.

Conservative

Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB

That's fine, I don't see their changing it. I want to reiterate, and maybe Mr. Thangaraj was not ready for the question, but the security issues are a bit concerning. Again that's something to follow up.

(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

9:45 a.m.

NDP

The Vice-Chair NDP Erin Weir

Okay.

9:45 a.m.

Liberal

Kyle Peterson Liberal Newmarket—Aurora, ON

I agree with Mr. McCauley; it's worthy of some other exploration once we get into the details of what's going on there. Hopefully the procurement issue will be before us again in some sense—and you know we're all for efficiency, but not at the cost of security. I think we can all agree with that.

9:45 a.m.

NDP

The Vice-Chair NDP Erin Weir

I think we are doing an overall study on Shared Services as well that could encompass a lot of this.

9:45 a.m.

Liberal

Kyle Peterson Liberal Newmarket—Aurora, ON

I'm happy to call them back under that study just to see if they have to start putting the details to this to make sure that the security component is upheld.

9:45 a.m.

Conservative

Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB

Yes, and on Mr. Parker's part, I'd be worried, again, if only half the departments decided to take advantage of it, if he were still doing 18,000 individual transactions instead of 24,000, and, as Ms. Shanahan says, you haven't made any real difference.

9:50 a.m.

NDP

The Vice-Chair NDP Erin Weir

In terms of the immediate need to respond to the finance committee, my reading of the room is that we're prepared to say that we've studied it. We're not putting forward any specific amendments to these provisions of the budget implementation bill.

9:50 a.m.

Liberal

Kyle Peterson Liberal Newmarket—Aurora, ON

I would agree.

9:50 a.m.

Conservative

Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB

That's fine.

9:50 a.m.

NDP

The Vice-Chair NDP Erin Weir

Fair enough. Okay.

Yes?

9:50 a.m.

Liberal

Robert-Falcon Ouellette Liberal Winnipeg Centre, MB

How is that going to work? Is the clerk going to write a summary of what was discussed and heard?

9:50 a.m.

NDP

The Vice-Chair NDP Erin Weir

We'll turn it over to the clerk now.

9:50 a.m.

The Clerk of the Committee Mr. Philippe Grenier-Michaud

Basically, the chair of the committee will write a letter to the chair of the finance committee mentioning that the committee studied the matter. We could include a link to today's minutes and transcript, so the finance committee members could take a look at the discussion, and it could be included at the end of the letter that the committee doesn't have any specific amendments to propose to Bill C-44

9:50 a.m.

Conservative

Alupa Clarke Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC

To the bill, yes, we do—but not to this.

9:50 a.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

9:50 a.m.

The Clerk

To the specific clauses of Bill C-44.

9:50 a.m.

Conservative

Alupa Clarke Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC

To these very, very specific clauses.

9:50 a.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

9:50 a.m.

NDP

The Vice-Chair NDP Erin Weir

I think that's a reasonable way of relaying some of the questions and concerns expressed, although at the same time allowing the finance committee to move forward with its work.

Unless there's anything else on these provisions in the budget implementation bill, we will take a break and then go in camera to look at our report on whistle-blower protection.

Thank you.

[Proceedings continue in camera]