Evidence of meeting #51 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 bdc.
A video is available from Parliament.
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Okay.
They'll prepare the report. They'll release the report. There won't be any political involvement in the contents of the report, or will there be?
5:25 p.m.
President of the Treasury Board
As you know, I've been tasked by the Prime Minister, so I think that it will be a shared responsibility where we will be making sure that we go through the department and—
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Will you share the contents of the report with the Prime Minister and his office prior to its being released publicly?
5:25 p.m.
President of the Treasury Board
I have not decided how I'm going to go through it, but I can tell you that the report will be done according to the review we are undertaking with—
5:25 p.m.
President of the Treasury Board
—the different departments.
We've also asked the ministers to ask the Crown to—
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Thank you.
Minister, if you were to conclude that ministers or the Prime Minister had engaged in wrongdoing, do you think you would remain in cabinet after coming to those conclusions and making them public?
5:25 p.m.
President of the Treasury Board
I am very proud of this mandate that I have received from the Prime Minister to make sure that we have the right procurement processes in place. I also welcome the procurement ombudsman sending his recommendations and report.
I also encourage—
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Minister, I don't think you're answering the question.
I also think it's pretty clear that it's not an independent report.
5:25 p.m.
President of the Treasury Board
—the Auditor General, if she wishes to do so, to bring forward a recommendation.
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
The Auditor General's report will be independent, and that's why the Conservatives called for it.
5:25 p.m.
President of the Treasury Board
Also, during my opening remarks and throughout this meeting, I have informed the committee that I will welcome the recommendations from the committee.
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Thank you, Minister.
I want to go in a different direction now. I think it's pretty clear that there is nothing independent about the review you're doing, but I'll let the public judge that based on the exchange.
Do you think that McKinsey is an ethical company?
5:25 p.m.
President of the Treasury Board
I don't have to evaluate McKinsey at this time.
As the President of the Treasury Board—
5:25 p.m.
President of the Treasury Board
—I need to have a procurement process in place, which the department—
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Minister, I want to press you on answering this specific question, though, because McKinsey has been involved in some really incredible practices around the world and here in Canada. We all have responsibilities, as human beings, to evaluate those things, regardless of the office we hold.
Do you believe, based on what you know, that McKinsey is an ethical company?
5:25 p.m.
President of the Treasury Board
I would like to remind Canadians who are watching right now that, in 2015, the previous government brought forward an—
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Minister, could you answer the question?
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Do you think that McKinsey is an ethical company?
5:25 p.m.
President of the Treasury Board
I believe we have an integrity regime that gives us the opportunity—
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
Majid Jowhari Liberal Richmond Hill, ON
I appreciate that our colleague.... It's fair to ask the minister a question and to hold the minister and the government accountable, but I would really appreciate it if the colleague allowed the minister to at least start the response to the question.
Thank you.
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
On that point of order, what a farce. I control this time. I asked the minister a direct yes-or-no question. She didn't answer it, and now her colleagues are trying to jump in to provide cover and buy time.
It's a pretty basic question. The minister doesn't have the right to go off on completely unrelated tangents when I ask a specific question.
