Government Operations Committee on Nov. 30th, 2023

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

Mr. Firth admitted to manipulating résumés without permission and consent. That's a criminal act.

[Samantha Tattersall]

You're not going to like my answer. I apologize, but because it's still under investigation by the RCMP, we have to wait for that.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Thank you.

We'll go to Mr. Sousa, please, for five minutes.

[Charles Sousa, Liberal, Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON]

Thank you.

Just to follow up on that point, is the RCMP investigating the ArriveCAN contracts?

[Samantha Tattersall]

My answer will be prefaced by.... I'm not the business owner. I'm not the contracting authority. It's only what I've seen in testimony here.

My understanding is that they're investigating the allegations from Botler.

[Charles Sousa, Liberal, Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON]

Right. It's relative to a separate issue altogether.

[Samantha Tattersall]

That's correct.

[Charles Sousa, Liberal, Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON]

It's relative to a situation where there were no contracts with GC Strategies and there were no contracts with Botler. There were some internal disputes between them and they have some allegations. I believe the RCMP is investigating in regard to that. We also took initiatives—“we” being the government—to ensure that's also being overseen.

With regard to ArriveCAN, the RCMP actually wrote a letter reaffirming and stating that it is not investigating. There is no criminal investigation into or activity regarding ArriveCAN.

However, I believe the government is taking steps to also have it reviewed. I also believe the Auditor General is looking at value for money in regard to those contracts, of which there were a number, and a portion went to GC Strategies. They are reviewing all of that. Is that correct?

[Samantha Tattersall]

My understanding is that the Auditor General is reviewing ArriveCAN. The Office of the Procurement Ombudsman is reviewing ArriveCAN. I understand that the CBSA has also tasked an internal review with respect to its procurement.

[Charles Sousa, Liberal, Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON]

We've taken some precautions as we go forward, recognizing some of those allegations that were made, after the ArriveCAN issue. Those contracts took place subsequent to the allegations being made.

With regard to the estimates, we were all keen on the government's spending review. We get that and it's important, particularly—for me, at least, because I was on the defence committee previously—with regard to the Canadian Armed Forces. In the estimates, there's approximately $584 million for compensation and benefits for the Canadian Armed Forces. We've heard it stated before that this refocusing of the spending will not impact the CAF.

Would you be able to speak to that with regard to the impact it has on the supplementary estimates (B)? I just want to make sure that the armed forces recognize that we are continuing to support them. I know there's some misinformation.

[Annie Boudreau]

Maybe I will start. For the benefit you are referring to, my colleague Marie-Chantal can add on.

As we said, it is clearly indicated in budget 2023 that the Canadian Armed Forces will be excluded from the spending review. When we developed the methodology, we excluded them.

[Charles Sousa, Liberal, Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON]

Great. That's above and beyond all the stuff we're doing in support for Ukraine and all the other initiatives we've taken—even today's announcement with regard to some of the other investments we're making in armed forces aircraft. These are all very important matters.

With respect to the review and the modernization, or trying to find efficiencies in our system, can someone elaborate on what the priorities are for the Treasury Board?

[Annie Boudreau]

Are you referring to the efficiencies of spending review?

[Charles Sousa, Liberal, Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON]

That's correct.

[Annie Boudreau]

We are looking at elements that will remove duplication, for sure, or maybe programs that are not giving the outcomes we were expecting. As I was saying at the beginning, we have received a lot of proposals from the departments that have been included in the review, and we are doing our analysis as we speak.

The goal is.... Obviously, we are post-COVID. We have learned from that. We are doing more telework. We can learn and continue to learn, and we can find efficiencies. It is part of the review.

[Charles Sousa, Liberal, Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON]

In the implementation of that review, how are you seeing its enablement?

[Annie Boudreau]

The implementation will follow what was included in budget 2023. The first charge was the $500 million that we have seen in supplementary estimates (B). The second charge will be included in the main estimates when the President of the Treasury Board tables them on or before March 1.

The amount that you will see there is about $2,331,000,000. It is split into two categories. You will see a $1.5-billion reduction in professional services, and a $150-million reduction in travel. The rest of the reductions will be in operating budgets, as well as grants and contributions.

[Charles Sousa, Liberal, Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Officials, thanks very much for being with us.

Before you leave, I have a couple of quick points. The committee passed a motion requiring any request for information, as asked by Mr. Johns, to be returned within three weeks from today.

I have a very quick question, if you could get back to us. The $500 million has been brought up a lot. Can you provide to the committee how much of that is lapsed money from previously approved supplementary estimates processes? How much of it is just lapsing, and how much is actual reductions? On the items or programs for which money was appropriated in the past and is now lapsing and being claimed as a reduction, can you provide information on what programs or items are included there?

We will let you go. Thanks for being with us.

We're going to vote on the supplementary estimates now.

CANADIAN INTERGOVERNMENTAL CONFERENCE SECRETARIAT

Vote 1b—Program expenditures..........$1,428,839

(Vote 1b agreed to on division)

CANADIAN TRANSPORTATION ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION AND SAFETY BOARD

Vote 1b—Program expenditures..........$3,748,724

(Vote 1b agreed to on division)

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND GOVERNMENT SERVICES

Vote 1b—Operating expenditures..........$63,293,770

Vote 5b—Capital expenditures..........$175,073,435

Vote 10b—Optional Services Revolving Fund..........$1

(Votes 1b, 5b and 10b agreed to on division)

PRIVY COUNCIL OFFICE

Vote 1b—Program expenditures..........$535,653

(Vote 1b agreed to on division)

SHARED SERVICES CANADA

Vote 1b—Operating expenditures..........$48,527,737

Vote 5b—Capital expenditures..........$5,992,000

(Votes 1b and 5b agreed to on division)

TREASURY BOARD SECRETARIAT

Vote 1b—Program expenditures..........$35,069,981

Vote 10b—Government-wide Initiatives..........$17,600,000

Vote 15b—Compensation Adjustments..........$2,090,072,958

Vote 20b—Public Service Insurance..........$359,344,340

(Votes 1b, 10b, 15b and 20b agreed to on division)

Shall I report the votes on the supplementary estimates to the House?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Wonderful.

If there's nothing else, colleagues, thank you very much.

The meeting is adjourned.