Evidence of meeting #20 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 spending.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Clerk of the Committee  Mr. Paul Cardegna
Glenn Purves  Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat
Roger Ermuth  Assistant Comptroller General, Financial Management Sector, Office of the Comptroller General, Treasury Board Secretariat
Karen Cahill  Assistant Secretary and Chief Financial Officer, Treasury Board Secretariat
Sonya Read  Acting Assistant Secretary, Digital and Services Policy, Treasury Board Secretariat
Rod Greenough  Executive Director, Expenditure Strategies and Estimates, Treasury Board Secretariat
Raphaëlle Deraspe  Committee Researcher
Tolga Yalkin  Assistant Deputy Minister, Workplace Policies and Services, Treasury Board Secretariat

6:15 p.m.

Tolga Yalkin Assistant Deputy Minister, Workplace Policies and Services, Treasury Board Secretariat

Yes, I would be very happy to respond to that question.

We worked very closely with our colleagues at Canadian Heritage and also the Department of Justice to develop a number of the proposals that, evidently, were made public in the document of intent that was published a few weeks ago. There were a number of proposals in there that our role was critical in developing, including those that relate to the role of Treasury Board providing oversight, as well as a number of the administrative measures, including an increased focus on qualification standards, training for public servants and many others as well.

6:15 p.m.

Liberal

Steven MacKinnon Liberal Gatineau, QC

What would you say are the main objectives of the Treasury Board Secretariat? What are the files or the areas you would feel most strongly in advancing in the context of the upcoming revision of the Official Languages Act?

6:15 p.m.

Assistant Deputy Minister, Workplace Policies and Services, Treasury Board Secretariat

Tolga Yalkin

There are a number of areas. It's always hard to identify those for which we are the most enthusiastic. The ones that I think would hold the most promise for public servants and also, I would say, Canadians, generally, to enhance their access to the public service, relate first to the work that is planned on the qualification standards.

For the members who aren't familiar, the qualification standards are essentially the requirements that are set down for official language capabilities in the public service. The government has stated its intent that they may be revised. They would be revised with a view to improving the access of Canadians to jobs in the public service, the progress of public servants who are within the public service already as they augment their linguistic capabilities, and also the ability to recognize external standards as well, such as the DELF and the DALF, in order to easily facilitate the integration of Canadians who have a linguistic capability into the public service.

6:20 p.m.

Liberal

Steven MacKinnon Liberal Gatineau, QC

The goal is always to ensure the vitality and use of both official languages in the public service.

6:20 p.m.

Assistant Deputy Minister, Workplace Policies and Services, Treasury Board Secretariat

Tolga Yalkin

Exactly.

The emphasis is on the idea that qualification standards should be tailored to the duties of public service positions so that public servants can better serve Canadians in the language of their choice.

6:20 p.m.

Liberal

Steven MacKinnon Liberal Gatineau, QC

Excellent. I applaud your involvement, especially in the midst of COVID-19.

I know that all public servants in the National Capital Region and in official language communities across the country are very anxious to see the modernization of these provisions. We must ensure that our official languages can thrive. As you know, this is a key component of the representativeness of public servants and government institutions. This concerns service for Canadians, but also work life. We want to always make sure that public servants can use the language of their choice internally, in meetings and during formal and informal discussions.

Thank you.

6:20 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Robert Gordon Kitchen

Thank you, Mr. MacKinnon.

Thank you very much for your question. We appreciate that.

With that said, we've now come to the end of the round. In light of time, if we were to start another round, it would add completely to the meeting, so I'm just looking to make certain that we have consensus that the meeting end. We can go a little bit longer if we have to.

Can I see a thumbs-up for continuing for one more round? I'm seeing just two thumbs- up. I'm not seeing any others so—

6:20 p.m.

Conservative

Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC

Mr. Chair, I have a point of order.

Before we close, I would like to tell Mr. MacKinnon, through you, that the motion has gone through the normal process and has been passed by the committee members. If he had wanted to move an amendment, he should have done so.

We aren't acting abusively at all by asking public servants to do this work. We know that the information exists. It's just a matter of sending it to the committee. So we don't need to hear Mr. MacKinnon play people like a fiddle. He's trying to blame the opposition, which is just doing its job.

I want to remind him that his government hasn't tabled a budget since March 19, 2019. I think that's the least that can be done. The pandemic is an excuse for everything. However, at some point, we must do our job. We aren't abusing anyone here.

6:20 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Robert Gordon Kitchen

Thank you very much, Mr. Paul-Hus.

Mr. Green.

6:20 p.m.

NDP

Matthew Green NDP Hamilton Centre, ON

I would concede to Ms. Vignola if she is looking to speak to that point, but I do have an exception.

In light of the editorial, the diatribe after our vote, I want to bring to the attention of this committee that if the government were interested in not abusing the public sector, then it wouldn't tax the damages on the Phoenix pay scandal. That's abusive, the fact that they're going to tax the damages that have been awarded by the courts on Phoenix pay.

They come to us and talk about files they already have and could simply release to us, and this is somehow abusive. It's just beyond the pale and speaking in massive hyperbole, in my opinion.

6:20 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Robert Gordon Kitchen

Thank you, Mr. Green.

Ms. Vignola, you did have your hand up, and as I've allowed others to have a quick say, if you would like to.... I see you're waving. Thank you.

I'm not seeing consensus to continue. Therefore, first of all, I want to thank the witnesses for being with us today: Mr. Purves, Mr. Ermuth, Ms. Read, Ms. Cahill, Mr. Yalkin and Mr. Greenough.

We trust that all is well with the minister and that everything will transpire appropriately and in a timely manner for him.

I thank you all for being here. The meeting is adjourned.