Evidence of meeting #15 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 services.
A video is available from Parliament.
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Robert Gordon Kitchen
Thank you.
We have a vote we have to get to, so we're going to Ms. Thompson for the last five minutes.
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
Joanne Thompson Liberal St. John's East, NL
Thank you.
I'm going to reference the 2022-23 departmental plan.
TBS notes that, in collaboration with Indigenous Services Canada and Public Service and Procurement Canada, it will issue mandatory requirements and guidance to support departments in meeting the phased implementation of the government-wide minimum targets of 5% of the value of federal contracts awarded to indigenous businesses. When do you expect that target to be mandatory?
5:25 p.m.
Acting Chief Human Resources Officer, Treasury Board Secretariat
We'll turn to Madam Tattersall.
5:25 p.m.
Assistant Comptroller General, Acquired Services and Assets Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat
As the government announced in August of the past year, we'll be phasing in the target over three years. I am pleased to say that up on our website is a mandatory procedure now for all departments on how they can meet that 5% target. That is a floor, not a ceiling. That mandatory procedure that Treasury Board has now launched is effective April 1 of this year.
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
Joanne Thompson Liberal St. John's East, NL
Thank you.
Following on with this, what will be the consequences on departments that do not meet the minimum target of 5% of the value of the federal contracts?
5:25 p.m.
Assistant Comptroller General, Acquired Services and Assets Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat
What we have set up is accountability through reporting. There are two ways in which we're doing that. We've been working with departments and with indigenous partners as well in setting up that accountability.
First, we've updated our requirements around proactive disclosure, so it will be much easier to see when you go there which contracts are being awarded to indigenous businesses. The second thing we are looking at is every department having to report on how they're achieving their target on an annual basis. We are actively looking at updating the departmental planning process so that can be transparent to the public, our indigenous partners and parliamentarians.
5:30 p.m.
Liberal
5:30 p.m.
Assistant Comptroller General, Acquired Services and Assets Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat
Right now, because it is a Treasury Board policy, our policies apply to organizations in schedule I, I.1 and II of the FAA. Crown corporations don't form part of that, but what we are looking at is where they don't, how do they follow the spirit and intent of what we want to achieve through this policy? That's how we're approaching it at this time.
5:30 p.m.
Liberal
Joanne Thompson Liberal St. John's East, NL
Thank you.
I know; I hear the bells. I'm not going to go on to the final question.
Thank you so much.
5:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Robert Gordon Kitchen
Thank you very much. Yes, we still have about 15 minutes, I think, on the bells, but I do appreciate the committee's questions.
On behalf of the committee, I want to thank the witnesses. It's so nice, as you were the first to come back to us in January, and I want to thank you for being here again today, as well as those of you who are with us virtually. Thank you very much for everything you did.
Ms. Tattersall, I'm sorry you always ended up getting the question when the time was running out.
I want to thank everybody, including the interpreters and the technicians for all the work they've been doing for us, as well as our analysts and our clerk.
With that said, so you don't have to run to the House, I declare the meeting adjourned.