Government Operations Committee on Feb. 5th, 2024

[Charles Sousa, Liberal, Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON]

It's being sent now, I believe.

I'd like to read it, if I may.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Go ahead, Mr. Sousa.

[Charles Sousa, Liberal, Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON]

The motion is:

That pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(c), the committee undertake a study on the government's work towards regulatory modernization; that the committee examine matters including examining how to reduce the unnecessary administrative burden for individuals and small businesses; examining how to simplify regulatory processes, including certifications and codes of practice, without the need to make regulatory changes, and the introduction of regulatory sand boxes; cutting unnecessary red tape to make cross-border trade easier through more consistent and coherent rules across governments, such as adopting national standards more widely; examining regulations that may impede international competitiveness;

That the committee allocate four meetings to conduct this study; that witnesses be submitted to the clerk of the committee by February 21, 2024; that the committee report its findings and recommendations to the House; and that pursuant to Standing Order 109, the government table a comprehensive response.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

On a point of order, Chair, is the member moving the motion or providing a notice of motion? He said he's moving a notice of motion.

[Charles Sousa, Liberal, Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON]

I'm reading a notice that's been provided, but I am moving the motion.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

You're either providing—

[Charles Sousa, Liberal, Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON]

I am moving a motion and I'm reading the notice of motion that's been provided.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

It's not a notice of motion if you're moving it.

[Charles Sousa, Liberal, Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON]

I'm moving the motion, man.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Okay.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

I think we understand the intent, but perhaps we'll advise that in the future, we're following the proper procedures.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Am I on the list, Chair?

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Yes, we'll start the speaking list with Mr. Genuis.

The motion is going out in both official languages.

[An hon. member]

Can we let the witness go?

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

No.

Mr. Lafleur, you can hang around here for the next six months until we're ready for you.

[A voice]

Oh, oh!

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Let me interrupt for two seconds. I have to check something with the clerk as well before we proceed.

Mr. Lafleur, thanks again for being here on short notice. We will see you again.

Mr. Genuis, are you speaking on this motion?

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Yes, thank you, Chair.

This committee has important, unfinished business with regard to the ArriveScam scandal. Just briefly on the substance of the ArriveScam scandal, I am flabbergasted by some of the comments the Liberals have made, saying, “This committee hasn't done anything; we haven't seen anything.” Well, I wonder what committee they have been at, Mr. Chair. Over the last four months, we have heard incredible testimony, with senior public servants accusing each other of lying in a parliamentary committee, and this is—

[Charles Sousa, Liberal, Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON]

I have—

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Oh, he's going to try to correct me on the rules.

[Charles Sousa, Liberal, Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON]

On a point of order, Mr. Chair, I just want the relevance of this commentary regarding this motion—

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

You proposed a motion about the committee's agenda. Of course it's relevant.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

We always allow a very wide breadth for discussion.

Go ahead, Mr. Genuis.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

This is a narrow breadth. You proposed a motion about the committee's agenda, and I'm discussing the committee's agenda, Mr. Sousa.

The committee has, for the last four months, heard absolutely breathtaking testimony of various senior public servants and whistle-blowers accusing each other of lying and presenting devastating testimony about a $54-million contract for the development of an app that went to a company that had no internal capacity whatsoever to develop apps or do IT work. We gave $54 million to a company that subcontracted all the work, and we've already seen a devastating report from the procurement ombudsman.

We have an Auditor General's report coming out. The RCMP are investigating. The procurement ombudsman released her report. The Auditor General is investigating. This committee has been investigating, and the Liberal members say, “Nothing is going on here. Nothing's going on; what's there to study, guys?” Come on. When the Liberals think nothing is going on, when they say there's nothing to see here, Mr. Chair, that tells Conservatives that we need to dig even deeper.

There is important business that this committee had to deal with in the context of the ArriveScam scandal, and I believe that was the intention of the committee business. Nonetheless, the Liberals have made clear that they want to hide the information, that they don't want to have this discussion. They moved a motion on another subject that the committee has not even seen yet.

I'm sorry; when you table drop a motion that has not been distributed to members and there are 12 minutes left in the committee, that is not a serious attempt to adjudicate the issue. We will review the motion that Mr. Sousa has moved in good time. We will consider it; we will evaluate it, but this is obviously fundamentally not what this is about. This is about Mr. Sousa's building on his scandalous record with the Wynne government, trying to divert and bury the ArriveScam scandal investigation.

Since the Liberals are clearly opposed to doing that work, and since they have sought to dismiss the witness we had important questions for today, I think there's just nothing left to be done.

On that note, Mr. Chair, I move that we adjourn.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

We have a motion to adjourn.

(Motion agreed to: 8 yeas; 2 nays)

Colleagues, while the vote is being tabulated, I want to get in very quickly that we had cancelled Monday because of the AG, but we do have some pressing issues. We have to do in camera budgets and some other things that are preventing us from moving forward on a couple of things.

I'm going to maybe try to fill in 30 minutes on Monday around the AG. This stuff really is important, and I have to get to it, so I'll follow up and let everyone know.