Government Operations Committee on June 12th, 2020

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

There are certainly some outstanding questions. I wish I had five more minutes in today's session to figure out what's going on with the national emergency strategic stockpile and what the future plans are. I fully support checking back in because I feel like.... Just to be clear, though, in the event that something does come up, under the standing orders we do have the ability for four of us to recall, right?

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

Yes, we can go two ways. Number one, any committee can be recalled at the call of the chair. I prefer not to do that, but you're right, and the other option is that if four members of the committee sign a letter requesting a meeting, one has to be called within 48 hours.

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

I'll support Mr. McCauley here, knowing that if something were to pop up—another scandal or who knows what—we can go ahead and recall.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

A hundred per cent.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

Thank you.

Mr. MacKinnon.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

Mr. Green says “another scandal”. I'd like to know what the first one was, but—

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Masks, if you're asking, and the national emergency strategic stockpile. Thank you for the question.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

Do I understand from Mr. McCauley that the Information Commissioner would be invited next Friday?

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

That's the suggestion Mr. McCauley has, yes.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

In terms of the two meetings over the summer, there are obviously four sessions of Parliament scheduled, so in which two of the four would he propose that we convene the committee?

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

I'm not proposing a specific date, but I'm just saying it may be, for convenience, at the same time. We should have one in July and one in August for an update from PSPC.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

My last question on that is about an update from PSPC. We publish a weekly web update on procurement, so I'm just looking for who in particular you or others would like to hear from. I'm sure you're not proposing that we bring the minister back twice in the summer.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Right now I'm saying Mr. Matthews, but possibly the minister. I guess it depends on how things unfold.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

It could be an associate deputy or an assistant deputy minister. Would that—

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

It should be someone who can answer questions and give a proper update on—

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

So you mean a senior procurement official.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Sure, then barring what Mr. Green says, it depends on what happens over the next month, but yes, I mean someone who can answer questions.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

Okay, and those will be two-hour sessions?

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

I would think so.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

That's a lot of procurement asking, but okay.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

It's a lot of procurement monologuing from the office. We know what it's like.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

We do.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

Okay, we're prepared to support that. I think that is a reasonable request, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

Thank you, Mr. McKinnon.

We now have Madam Vignola.

[Julie Vignola, Bloc, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

I don't have a problem with our sitting through the summer.

I know we won't be able to do it from June 23 to July 3 because of a technical update, if memory serves me right.

There are various options. We could meet twice a week until July 10 and meet again after that, or we could do what Mr. MacCauley proposes, which is to meet twice in the summer.

I am thinking especially of the work of the clerks, analysts and interpreters, which is gigantic. I want everyone to have good working conditions this summer. So I'm open to Mr. MacCauley's proposal, or to something else.