Evidence of meeting #71 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 tribunal.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Greg Fergus Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
Once again, consistent with clause 25, we want to just make sure there is not overlap, duplication and wasting resources by having multiple avenues available. This is the reason we would recommend negating this clause.
Conservative
Bloc
Julie Vignola Bloc Beauport—Limoilou, QC
This clause simply repeals a paragraph of the act. I don't see how this is an issue, since we have already allowed public servants to use other resources. This clause simply repeals paragraph 25(1)(j) of the act, which talks about “the power in section 34 to refer a matter to another authority”. It would be left up to the whistleblower to decide with whom they are going to file their complaint, to whom they are going to tell their story and who they are going to ask to protect them.
Personally, I would keep this clause as is.
Liberal
Greg Fergus Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
Could I ask Madam Laroche or Ms. Stevens to comment on this particular clause?
Senior Director, People and Culture, Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer, Treasury Board Secretariat
Clause 27 is basically consequential to clause 30 of the bill, even though it comes before clause 30, because it's a reference to section 34 in the PSDPA, which clause 30 removes.
This amendment to paragraph 25(1)(j) makes a reference to section 34, so I presume that's why the bill is removing that paragraph.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
Ms. Laroche, did you have something to add?
Was there anything else, Ms. Stevens?
Senior Director, People and Culture, Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer, Treasury Board Secretariat
Should I explain section 34?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
I'm not asking or directing you one way or the other. You just looked like you wanted to speak to clause 27 further.
Senior Director, People and Culture, Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer, Treasury Board Secretariat
The implication would be that if clause 30 were to be defeated, you would want to keep this subclause that's referred to in clause 27 of the bill because section 34 of the PSDPA is a provision that prevents the commissioner from going outside of the public sector. There are concerns that if section 34 is removed from the PSDPA, it would open not just the private sector but also the excluded organizations to investigations by the PSIC.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
Shall clause 27 carry?
(Clause 27 agreed to: yeas 6; nays 5 [See Minutes of Proceedings])
Mr. Barrett.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
Mr. Chair, on NDP-12, the vote recorded me as having said “yea”, but my intention and my voice said “nay”. I'm looking for unanimous consent to have it recorded as “nay”.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
Colleagues, does Mr. Barrett have unanimous consent? It does not change the vote.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
Your amendment was defeated, Mr. Barrett.
(On clause 28)
Mr. Fergus.
Liberal
Greg Fergus Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
Again, I'd like to thank my colleague, Mr. Johns, for proposing this. Frankly, the implications of this are that the Information Commissioner will be setting policy piecemeal throughout the government. We think it's better for the Treasury Board Secretariat to set a standard.
I'm sorry. Did I misunderstand NDP-13?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
Yes, Mr. Fergus. I'm sorry to interrupt you.
We're on clause 28.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
We're going to go to clause 28, and then we have to go to clause 28.1.
Liberal
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
We're on clause 28, and then we'll get to you, Mr. Johns, for clause 28.1.
Did you wish to address anything on clause 28?
Liberal
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
Colleagues, I'm going to suspend for a couple of minutes. I'm going to let you work that out, and then I have something to address.
