Evidence of meeting #1 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
October 8th, 2020 / 12:25 p.m.
The Clerk
Mr. Chair, there are five in favour and five against.
You have a tie and it's incumbent upon you to issue the tie-breaking vote, Mr. Chair.
12:25 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Robert Gordon Kitchen
I vote for the motion to adjourn the debate.
(Motion agreed to: yeas 6; nays 5)
12:25 p.m.
Conservative
Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
Mr. Chair, I would like to put forward a motion to the committee. May I begin?
12:30 p.m.
Conservative
12:30 p.m.
Conservative
12:30 p.m.
Liberal
Steven MacKinnon Liberal Gatineau, QC
I think it would be helpful for the committee members to know where we stand. We just finished debate on Mr. Weiler's motion. Where are we in the process? What speakers are on your list? How are we going to proceed? Can anyone move one motion, two motions? How do we proceed now?
12:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Robert Gordon Kitchen
The procedure was that the adjourning of the debate was on that first motion. I would ask that all members get together, at some point in time, to discuss that motion privately such that it can be put back on the floor.
Now we will proceed to the next issue. Mr. Green, I assume, will be presenting a motion, and that would be followed by Mr. McCauley as the next person after that.
That's the order I have at this point, and then Ms Vignola, I believe, is after that as well.
12:30 p.m.
Conservative
Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
I also have a point of order, Mr. Chair.
12:30 p.m.
Conservative
12:30 p.m.
Conservative
12:30 p.m.
Conservative
Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I would just like to remind you that I'm unable to request the floor electronically. It's important to know that I can only raise my hand manually.
12:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Robert Gordon Kitchen
Thank you.
Just for clarification, Mr. McCauley, you indicated that Mr. Paul-Hus was ahead of you?
12:30 p.m.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
As much as I'd love to speak, I saw Mr. Paul-Hus signal before me.
12:30 p.m.
Conservative
12:30 p.m.
Bloc
Julie Vignola Bloc Beauport—Limoilou, QC
I'd like to propose a motion before the committee. I will follow the order of authorization.
12:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Robert Gordon Kitchen
Thank you, and you will be following Mr. Paul-Hus.
Mr. Kusmierczyk, go ahead.
12:30 p.m.
Liberal
Irek Kusmierczyk Liberal Windsor—Tecumseh, ON
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I just raised my hand to be on the speaking list as well, if possible.
12:30 p.m.
NDP
Matthew Green NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I believe I've captured the spirit of the work that we had undertaken prior to the very unfortunate dissolution of this committee.
I move:
That, pursuant to Standing Orders 108(2) and 108(3)(c), the committee resume the following studies and activities undertaken during the 1st Session of the 43rd Parliament; and that the evidence heard and documentation received by the Committee in relation to these studies be taken into consideration by the Committee in this session:
1. Defence procurement with a focus on shipbuilding;
2. Government’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic;
3. Greening Government Strategy;
4. Hiring Process in the Public Service;
5. Hiring of veterans for public service positions;
6. Review of the Red Tape Reduction Act;
7. Departmental Results Reports 2018-19;
8. Subject Matter of Supplementary Estimates (A), 2020-21: Vote 1a under Department of Public Works and Government Services, Votes 1a and 5a under National Capital Commission, Vote 1a under Privy Council Office, Votes 1a and 5a under Shared Services Canada and Votes 1a, 20a and 30a under Treasury Board Secretariat;
9. Subject Matter of Supplementary Estimates (B), 2019-20: Vote 1b under Department of Public Works and Government Services, Votes 1b and 5b under Shared Services Canada and Vote 1b under Treasury Board Secretariat;
10. Briefing on the Nuctech security equipment contract;
11. Briefing by the Minister of Public Services and Procurement on Phoenix;
12. Briefing by the Minister of Public Services and Procurement on Canada Post; and
13. Awarding by the federal government of a $900 million sole-sourced contract to WE Charity, as well as prior contracts to this organization.
And that, regarding motions sending for documents as adopted by the committee—
Mr. Clerk, I do apologize in advance because these are lengthy, but I want to make sure these resume as they were critically important.
—as per May 29, 2020, meeting 15:
That, in the context of its study of the government’s response to the COVID-19 Pandemic and pursuant to Standing Order 108(1)(a), the committee send for all briefing notes, memos and emails from senior officials, prepared for the Minister of Health, the President of the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Chief Medical Health Officer of Canada, and the Minister of Public Service and Procurement between 2010 and the present day, regarding the stockpiling, management, disposal and replenishment of medical equipment and supplies in the National Emergency Strategic Stockpile; that the committee receive the information no later than October 31, 2020; that matters of Cabinet confidence and national security be excluded from the request; that any redactions to protect the privacy of Canadian citizens and permanent residents whose names and personal information may be included in the documents, as well as public servants who have been providing assistance on this matter, be made by the Office of the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel of the House of Commons; and that these documents be posted on the committee’s web page.
And as per June 19, 2020, meeting 21:
That, in the context of its study of the government’s response to the COVID-19 Pandemic and pursuant to Standing Order 108(1)(a), the committee send for documents from Public Service and Procurement Canada (PSPC) containing the following disaggregated data related to businesses owned by under-represented groups (black, indigenous, women, and persons with disabilities) who have engaged with PSPC with regard to the federal government’s response to COVID-19: (a)(i) how many companies from under-represented groups have secured contracts with PSPC, (ii) the value of these contracts, (iii) the number of businesses from under-represented groups screened and approved as credited vendors, (iv) number and value of set-aside contracts for these businesses, (v) the number of subcontracts entered into; (b), that the committee send for all papers and records, in unredacted form, from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) relating to the Federal Contractors Program, and in particular: (i) all current, signed Agreements to Implement Employment Equity (“Agreements”); (ii) the most current list of contractors covered by said Agreements; (iii) the most current compliance documentation furnished by each contractor covered by an Agreement, including the goal-setting report, achievement table, workforce analysis, revised goals for remaining gaps in representation, and any explanatory material; (iv) the most current documentation of ESDC’s compliance assessment for each contractor covered by an Agreement; (v) the most recent Limited Eligibility to Bid List; (vi) all documentation filed in an appeal of a finding of non-compliance by a contractor to the Minister; (vii) all documentation connected to an independent review of an appeal; (viii) any documentation internal to ESDC assessing or evaluating the Federal Contractors Program; that the committee receive these documents, papers and records no later than October 31—
