Evidence of meeting #19 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was employees.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Clerk of the Committee  Mr. Paul Cardegna
Manon Fortin  Vice-President, Operations Integration, Canada Post Corporation
Ryan Persad  Director, Global Supply Chain Solutions, Purolator Inc.
Jean-Philippe Gentès  President, Galenova Inc.
Ernie Philip  President, Medline Canada

12:50 p.m.

NDP

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?

12:50 p.m.

Conservative

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.

12:50 p.m.

NDP

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.

12:50 p.m.

Conservative

Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB

A hundred per cent.

12:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski

Thank you.

Mr. MacKinnon.

12:50 p.m.

Liberal

Steven MacKinnon Liberal Gatineau, QC

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

12:50 p.m.

NDP

Matthew Green NDP Hamilton Centre, ON

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

12:50 p.m.

Liberal

Steven MacKinnon Liberal Gatineau, QC

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

12:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski

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

12:50 p.m.

Liberal

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?

12:50 p.m.

Conservative

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.

12:50 p.m.

Liberal

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.

12:50 p.m.

Conservative

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.

12:50 p.m.

Liberal

Steven MacKinnon Liberal Gatineau, QC

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

12:50 p.m.

Conservative

Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB

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

12:50 p.m.

Liberal

Steven MacKinnon Liberal Gatineau, QC

So you mean a senior procurement official.

12:50 p.m.

Conservative

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.

12:50 p.m.

Liberal

Steven MacKinnon Liberal Gatineau, QC

Okay, and those will be two-hour sessions?

12:50 p.m.

Conservative

Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB

I would think so.

12:50 p.m.

Liberal

Steven MacKinnon Liberal Gatineau, QC

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

12:50 p.m.

Conservative

Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB

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

12:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski

We do.

12:50 p.m.

Liberal

Steven MacKinnon Liberal Gatineau, QC

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

12:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski

Thank you, Mr. McKinnon.

We now have Madam Vignola.

June 12th, 2020 / 12:50 p.m.

Bloc

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.