Evidence of meeting #133 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was software.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
We're now back to the original amendment by Mrs. Vignola, which adds the dates for the meetings and ends other meetings.... Bear with me for two seconds.
We're adding Mrs. Vignola's...we've accepted a subamendment and we're back to the original amendment by Mrs. Vignola, which reads: "And that these meetings be held between August 19th and August 27th, 2024, inclusively, and that apart from these 3 additional meetings, the Committee hold no additional meetings before September 9, 2024, with the exception of the 106.4 meetings".
Then it also changes the last line for the witnesses to read, “The Minister of Global Affairs, Minister Joly, if the committee deems it necessary”.
We're now back to that amendment.
I will go to Mr. McKinnon.
Go ahead, sir.
Liberal
Ron McKinnon Liberal Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC
Thank you, Chair.
I just had a concern. I'm not clear that the committee has the power to order somebody to produce documents. I suspect it has to go to the House, and the House has to issue that order. I wonder if someone could clarify that. Perhaps the clerk could clarify that.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
The committee does have the power to do that. I can have the clerk repeat what I said, and you're welcome to, sir.
At committees, we've ordered, as members around the table know, hundreds of thousands of pages of documents, but if you wish to confirm that for Mr. McKinnon, sir, please go ahead.
Liberal
Liberal
Ron McKinnon Liberal Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC
Okay, thank you for that clarification.
In that case, I would like to propose a further subamendment. I believe that we should add to the documents we are requesting. We should request “an independent third party assessment of the value of the property that was purchased”. I guess that language would be in an appropriate place in the motion, probably after “the...residence of the consulate general in New York”.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
I'm going to interrupt you, Mr. McKinnon. Maybe we could just restart that, because the committee cannot order money spent for a creation of an independent.... If you're looking for the existence of one, maybe you could narrow it down to that, but we can't order an independent one done.
Liberal
Ron McKinnon Liberal Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC
I'm suggesting that we need to see the value of this property that we purchased. My suggestion is that we ask for an independent third party assessment of the value of that property in that market.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
Again, that's not something we can order the government to pay for and have done. If you're asking whether there's an existing one, we can ask for existing documents, but we can't order the government to spend money to have a consultant.... We can't order that to be done.
Maybe GC Strategies is available to do it.
Liberal
Ron McKinnon Liberal Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC
I'm not suggesting we order them to spend money. There is very likely an assessment that was made as part of the purchase. My subamendment is that, after the words “the official residence of the Consul General in New York”, we put “and include, if available, an independent third party assessment of the value of the property in that market”.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
I'll hand it over to Mr. Barrett and then Mrs. Vignola, but I want you to clarify, Mr. McKinnon, who are you proposing as this independent...? Even if we pass a motion, we can't order the government to perform an independent audit. We can ask if there are evaluations of it, or we can ask whether there was one done. We can ask for those papers, if that's what you're asking for.
Liberal
Ron McKinnon Liberal Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC
I didn't ask for an independent auditor. The language I just said is “and include, if available, an independent third party assessment of the value of the property in that market.” That does not order the government to spend any money. That is my subamendment.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
Just to be clear, the subamendment is to produce these documents if they exist.
Liberal
Ron McKinnon Liberal Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC
“If available” is what I said. I think it's important that we understand the value of the property. This is not an expense. This is an acquisition of an asset.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
If there were an independent one done, we can ask for it if it exists—not if it's available, but if it exists, we can order the production of it. How's that? Are we on the same wavelength now, Mr. McKinnon? Basically, if one was done, we'll order the production of it. Is that correct?
Liberal
Ron McKinnon Liberal Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC
I don't really like your rewording my subamendment, but I will reword it a little bit. I'll say that, after the words “the purchase for the official residence of the Consul General in New York” we add a comma and the words “and request, if available, any third party independent assessment of the value of the property in that market.” That should deal with your concerns.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
Bear with us for two seconds, Mr. McKinnon. I'm making sure our clerk has what you're asking for, Mr. McKinnon, so that everyone is clear. The clerk is going to read it back to you, Mr. McKinnon. Let us know if we've collected it correctly from you.
The Clerk
The subamendment is that, after the words “New York,” we add “and request, if available, any independent third party assessment of the value of the property in that market.”
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
Can we add “within 21 days” so we keep it the same as the other documents?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
Do you still wish to speak to this, Mrs. Vignola?
I go to Ms. Vignola, Mr. Barrett and then Mr. Brock.
