Evidence of meeting #84 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 cbsa.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Cameron MacDonald  Former Director General, Business Application Services Directorate, Canada Border Services Agency
Antonio Utano  Former Executive Director, Border Technologies Innovation Directorate, Canada Border Services Agency

6:10 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley

Mr. Genuis, go ahead.

6:10 p.m.

Conservative

Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB

We are a bit over the time we had planned, and I'll just say that the committee already made the decision to summon them, and if they're going to come anyway, it's a moot point, right? The point is, they're going to be in these chairs, and I think there are reasons the committee needs to hear from these people. People are welcome to be in the gallery, but I think we want to hear from the witnesses we want to hear from.

Chair, I just want to ask about Josée Bastien.

6:15 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley

I'm not familiar with who that is.

6:15 p.m.

The Clerk

[Inaudible—Editor]

6:15 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley

That is the retired person we have not been able to get a hold of or track down.

6:15 p.m.

Conservative

Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB

Oh, okay. Would that person be relevant to have with this panel as well?

6:15 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley

I am not sure who chose him as a witness.

6:15 p.m.

Conservative

Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB

All right. I guess we can come back to that, then.

6:15 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley

Yes.

It's Mr. Kusmierczyk and then Mr.—

6:15 p.m.

Liberal

Majid Jowhari Liberal Richmond Hill, ON

Can we get a resolution on whether the DG and the ADM could join as well, at the same time?

6:15 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley

Can we get agreement for that?

I understand what you were saying, Mr. Genuis, but—

6:15 p.m.

Liberal

Majid Jowhari Liberal Richmond Hill, ON

We just want to hear from more witnesses.

6:15 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley

It will be all five of them. That is what we're suggesting.

6:15 p.m.

Liberal

Majid Jowhari Liberal Richmond Hill, ON

Yes.

6:15 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley

Just bring them along. You don't have to ask questions of them.

6:15 p.m.

Liberal

Majid Jowhari Liberal Richmond Hill, ON

You don't have to ask them questions.

6:15 p.m.

An hon. member

You guys don't have to, but we have questions, 100%.

6:15 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley

Can we maintain a speaking order, please?

Go ahead, Mr. Genuis.

6:15 p.m.

Conservative

Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB

I think it matters. I asked to hear from Mr. Doan alone for a reason, because somebody can pass things off to someone else when you have a large group.

We can also have these other witnesses come subsequently, but just given who seems to have been directly responsible and given also that we have a dynamic right now of, frankly, senior public servants accusing other senior public servants of lying to the committee, I think, under the circumstances, it might be judicious to have people testify alone or separately, without having everybody's bosses coming with them.

6:15 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley

Mr. Kusmierczyk, go ahead.

6:15 p.m.

Liberal

Irek Kusmierczyk Liberal Windsor—Tecumseh, ON

If you look at the last couple of meetings we've had—and Mr. Johns wants to speak there, so I just want to make sure we're not ignoring him—we've had testimony from Botler, from Mr. Firth, from Mr. Cameron and from Mr. Utano, and there's contradictory information that can't be either corroborated or contested, so here we are suggesting that we actually bring more witnesses to the table to include those at the junior level as well as folks at the senior level, who would have insight at a certain level, a higher level, and who could answer questions.

I think we should have them there together. They actually offered to come to committee. We want to get to the bottom of this, and I want to say that—

6:15 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley

Can I just interrupt for a minute?

6:15 p.m.

Liberal

Irek Kusmierczyk Liberal Windsor—Tecumseh, ON

—that's the reason I want to have the senior folks here as well.

6:15 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley

Mr. Johns, I know you have your hand up, but I'm getting some nods around the table, so can we just agree that the two—the ADM and the other one who was mentioned—

6:15 p.m.

Conservative

Stephanie Kusie Conservative Calgary Midnapore, AB

That's fine, yes.