Evidence of meeting #87 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 budget.
A video is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
Wonderful.
If you recall, when we had Dalian and Coradix here, we had a fair number of requests for documents. One was from Mr. Genuis for documents he was asking the government to provide, but we kind of need to restate it for Dalian's benefit.
On October 26, the order for production of documents that was adopted was ambiguous as to who was tasked to provide the documents to the committee, Dalian or the government. It is the government, but Dalian is just looking for us to confirm that. They have some concerns about being held in contempt for not providing it. To do so, though, we need to discharge the original order and replace it with one that is more specific, indicating who we want to oblige with providing the committee with the documents.
The original motion was as follows:
That the committee send for all contracts between a government department, agency or Crown Corporations and GC Strategies, Dalian, or Coradix going back at least twelve years; and that the unredacted documents be submitted to the clerk of the committee in both official languages in three weeks.
I have proposed new wording here from our wonderful clerk:
That the order pertaining to sending for contracts between a government department, agency or Crown Corporation and GCstrategies, Dalian or Coradix, adopted by the committee on Thursday, October 26, 2023, be discharged and replaced with the following:
ORDERED: That the clerk of the committee inform government departments, agencies or Crown Corporations that the committee sends for a copy of all contracts between said departments, agencies or crown corporations and GCstrategies, Dalian or Coradix going back at least twelve years; and that the unredacted documents be submitted to the clerk of the committee in both official languages three weeks from Thursday, October 26, 2023.
It's the same motion. It's just specifying that it's the government in order to alleviate Dalian's concerns about responsibility.
Are we fine with that, colleagues?
I do need unanimous consent.
Liberal
Charles Sousa Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON
I'm sorry. Could we just take a few minutes to review this? Would that be okay?
Conservative
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
Thank you for your patience, colleagues. We are back in session.
Do we have consent for that please?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
Thanks very much I appreciate that.
The second item orders for the production of documents. Dalian and Coradix are requesting that the committee turn all of their questions taken as notice during the meeting into an order for the production of documents. Instead of when we've asked them to provide items, Dalian is asking that there be an official motion from the committee. It's rather simple and straightforward—we have an official order of the committee. They are just requesting that.
It is ordered:
That the clerk of the committee inform Dalian/Coradix that the committee sends for a copy of the contract for the Botler AI task authorization; and that the documents be submitted to the clerk of the committee three weeks from Tuesday, October 31, 2023, by 12:00 p.m.
Again, this is a request from Dalian just for clarification. It changes that to an official order.
Liberal
Majid Jowhari Liberal Richmond Hill, ON
Dalian wants to make sure that we are specifically asking them to send the contracts about Botler AI TA to the committee, to the clerk, within three weeks.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
Yes. What it was originally was a request for documents: “Oh, would you table those?” “Yes, we will.” They're asking us to make an official order of the committee.
Are we fine with that?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
Wonderful. Thanks very much.
Here is another one. It is ordered:
That the clerk of the committee inform Dalian/Coradix that the committee sends for a copy of the contracts that were signed by GC Strategies for the programs set by [CBSA] to fulfill their obligations under Bill C-65, otherwise known as the Botler project; and that the documents be submitted to the clerk of the committee three weeks from Tuesday, October 31, 2023, by 12:00 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
Thank you very much.
This is the last one. No, I'm sorry. I have five.
It is ordered:
That the clerk of the committee inform Dalian/Coradix that the committee sends for a list of the government departments and agencies that Dalian and Coradix have had contracts with; and that the documents be submitted to the clerk of the committee three weeks from Tuesday, October 31, 2023, by 12:00 p.m.
Liberal
Majid Jowhari Liberal Richmond Hill, ON
When Dalian was here we asked for these documents. They're just coming back and asking if we can formally send that request.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
This one I'll read, but there's a tiny problem. It is ordered that the clerk of the committee inform Dalian and/or Coradix that the committee sends for (a) a copy of the number of joint ventures that Dalian and Coradix have gone into, and (b) a copy of how many joint ventures Dalian and Coradix have gone into that were not connected to the indigenous set-aside program; and that the documents be submitted to the clerk of the committee three weeks from Tuesday, October 31, 2023, by 12:00 p.m.
It's the same issue—a request from Dalian. Where there is a small issue is that it's not exactly an order for the production of documents. It's an order for them to provide an answer. Again, this is something that they asked for.
Liberal
Majid Jowhari Liberal Richmond Hill, ON
To be honest with you, Chair, I feel a bit rushed. I understand the purpose. Is there a way that we could fine-tune that? We don't have any issue with it. We are agreeing to too many things, and our team is not comfortable. I'm not comfortable. If you send it to us ahead of time, we'll look at it. We'll support it; that's not an issue. We can put five minutes at the end of Tuesday and go through it.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
I will send it out. I will just reiterate that these are all things that we've agreed upon.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
This is wording suggested by the clerk to clarify.... This is not suggested by me or any specific party.
Liberal
Majid Jowhari Liberal Richmond Hill, ON
I think the team has the context of what's being asked. Out of an abundance of caution, we just want to have a look at it.