Government Operations Committee on April 15th, 2024

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Good morning, everyone. I call this meeting to order on a beautiful day in Ottawa.

Welcome to meeting number 117 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates. Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(c) and the motion adopted by the committee on Monday, February 5, the committee is meeting to consider matters related to postal services in Canada's rural and remote communities.

I'll remind you, as always, not to put your earpieces next to the microphone, as it can cause feedback and potential injury to our very valued interpreters.

We have three witnesses today from two groups. They are from the Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association and CUPW. I understand there will be a five-minute statement from both organizations.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

Thank you very much to our witnesses for being here today.

I want to get to a piece of business that I believe is very important not only for this committee, but for all Canadians. I believe it touches on a subject we studied very closely last year that's tied to the arrive scam scandal, which I'm sure our witnesses here today have heard about. It's the damning report of the procurement ombudsman regarding McKinsey.

McKinsey, a company that has over $100 million—

[Taylor Bachrach, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Chair, could I ask what the point of order is?

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

—in contracts with the—

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

We'll get to it, Mr. Bachrach.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

It is relevant.

Thank you very much.

[Taylor Bachrach, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

It has to be an actual point of order.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

I am waiting for that, Mr. Bachrach.

Please continue, Mrs. Kusie.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Thank you.

It has over $100 million in contracts with this Trudeau government, but the most damning piece of this contract—

[Irek Kusmierczyk, Liberal, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

Mr. Chair, this point of order—

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

—in this report, Mr. Chair, is the fact—

[Irek Kusmierczyk, Liberal, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

I have a point of order.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

—that the procurement ombudsman found that the government actually bent the rules to favour McKinsey. It's similar to what we saw with the arrive scam scandal.

Once again, we see this Liberal government favouring its friends and insiders in McKinsey in—

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

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

—the report of the procurement ombudsman, as we did with the arrive scam scandal.

Now, this is no surprise—

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

Are you getting there?

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

—as we have had Dominic Barton, who came and testified at this committee—

[Irek Kusmierczyk, Liberal, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

Did you get your clip, Ms. Kusie?

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

This further ties into the relevance.

He advised Justin Trudeau on the advisory council on economic growth and its Indo-Pacific advisory committee—

[Irek Kusmierczyk, Liberal, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

Mr. Chair, what is the relevance?

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

This is a speech.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

That's enough.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Of course, they went on to....

I'm getting to the point, Mr. Chair—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

—if they will allow me to do that.