Government Operations Committee on Nov. 16th, 2020

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Minister, you stated you're only using the company's word that they're not using—

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Oakville, ON]

When awarding contracts, PSPC does require suppliers to agree to terms and conditions prohibiting labour practices of the type you're mentioning. It conducts integrity checks on suppliers' backgrounds. We do take steps to scrutinize the supply chain regarding labour exploitation.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Minister, what has changed in a couple of weeks when your government stated it wasn't checking such information?

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Oakville, ON]

We believe that further protection against the use of forced labour in federal supply chains should be added, and we will continue to work in a very challenging environment.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Minister, a monologue does not excuse your government from buying PPE without assuring—

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Oakville, ON]

As you can imagine, it's difficult to know right down the chain of supply what is going to be the case in terms of the labour needs of the particular manufacturer. As an initial step, what we are doing is seeking information about available—

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Robert Gordon Kitchen]

Minister Anand, can I have order please?

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Oakville, ON]

I'm sorry, I can't hear you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Robert Gordon Kitchen]

I'm going to ask that when a short question is asked, please respond in a similar fashion.

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Mr. Chair, you're still muted on both accounts. Both the floor and your personal mike are muted.

[The Chair, Conservative, Robert Gordon Kitchen]

Hold on for a minute, please.

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Oakville, ON]

I'm sorry, Mr. Chair. There seem to be some technological difficulties. I was in the middle of my response and I saw you talking. I'm not sure what was happening. I will mute myself now if whatever you need to say is said.

[The Chair, Conservative, Robert Gordon Kitchen]

Minister, can you hear me? Okay.

Minister, we've stopped the clock here briefly. I appreciate you staying, so we can finish the questions up here.

I would ask that depending on the shortness of the question, you respond appropriately as you see fit, but at the same time recognize that we have a limited time. I would ask that the questions and the responses are in a timely manner. Thank you.

Mr. McCauley, you have the floor.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

I don't even know where to start, Minister. I don't blame you. Obviously your headphones were turned off. We couldn't communicate.

Your own government's appointee has called China's treatment of the Uighurs genocidal. Do believe your department's guidelines of self-attestation are good enough to ensure that we are not buying PPE made with forced labour?

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Oakville, ON]

I think we all need to do more work to ensure that we are not supporting forced labour in China.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

On July 1, 2020.... The reason I'm bringing this up is that you say we need—

She can't hear us again.

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Oakville, ON]

I'm sorry, but I can't hear the question, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Robert Gordon Kitchen]

Thank you, Minister. We're just going to check on that.

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Oakville, ON]

I can't hear you speaking, either.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Mr. Chair, it's the same for members online as well.

[Majid Jowhari, Liberal, Richmond Hill, ON]

I think they're both muted.

[The Chair, Conservative, Robert Gordon Kitchen]

Thank you. We're trying to check into this.

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

That doesn't mean you take the chair, Francis, just to be clear.

[A voice]

Oh, oh!