Government Operations Committee on Oct. 30th, 2025

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Louis-Hébert, QC]

That's a very good question. It's fundamental, because we're going to meet our 2% targets this year, which is an additional $9 billion. However, the ultimate target is 3.5% to 5% of military spending. These investments are necessary to protect the country.

As you know, the Standing Committee on National Defence must rectify 50 years of the Canadian Armed Forces being neglected. I can say that to you because I visited the Valcartier military base not far from my area. It's not just the big procurements that get a lot of news coverage; in many cases, the plumbing and the roof have to be redone too. I was flabbergasted by what I saw. Anyone who doubts the importance of investing in the Canadian Armed Forces should visit the military base closest to their area to see it for themselves.

Now, because we're going to invest significantly in our Canadian Armed Forces, it's essential that we see the economic benefits here at home. In the past, I think there's been a tendency, though it's sometimes justified because of interoperability issues, to turn to foreign, often American, suppliers to meet our defence needs. We also did it because we didn't necessarily have the capabilities here in Canada to provide what the forces needed.

The intention to establish a defence investment agency was applauded. As I mentioned earlier in another answer, all parties have been talking about this for years. This was identified as a good idea to put forward, an idea that requires a bit of political will and courage. I'm glad to see that we have the political will and courage to implement this initiative. Yes, this agency is intended to shorten procurement timelines, but it's also meant to forge ties with Canadian industry. We also have to see how we can help the industry develop a dual use nature, meaning civilian and military. Connecting with industry will certainly be part of the role the agency will have to play.

[Tim Watchorn, Liberal, Les Pays-d'en-Haut, QC]

As you know, the national shipbuilding strategy has been around for 15 years. At the Standing Committee on National Defence, we're currently studying the Coast Guard's integration with the Department of National Defence. We had a nice presentation this morning that showed 85 ships are to be built at Canadian shipyards over the next 20 years. I'd like to focus on the two most important ones.

As you know, the Arctic is an increasingly important region from a geopolitical and environmental standpoint. How will the two new polar icebreakers strengthen Canada's ability to operate in the Arctic, protect Canadian sovereignty and support scientific research in the region?

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Watchorn. That's another great question.

Before we talk about polar icebreakers, let's go back to the national shipbuilding strategy. This is a good example of what we can do when we have a longer-term vision.

Rather than saying that we want such and such equipment right away, we're going to develop the skills needed to do it here in Canada, we're going to be forward thinking and we're going to purchase what we need to enable businesses and entire ecosystems to develop. I know something about this, the Davie shipyard is in my backyard. I also visited Seaspan and Irving Shipbuilding over the summer. Larger shipyards provide these vessels for the Canadian Coast Guard and the Royal Canadian Navy. A whole bunch of SMEs supply them, hundreds and hundreds of businesses, thousands of jobs. Just—

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

I apologize. We are past our time again.

Again, colleagues, watch your time, please, to allow for a response from the minister.

We'll now go to Madam Gaudreau for two and a half minutes.

[Marie-Hélène Gaudreau, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

I see the news in the national media, like the Toronto Star, which I find a bit troubling, and it makes me think an agency, transparency and accountability are needed.

I don't want us to relive the same nightmare we went through with Canada Post, where they said they'd be asked to produce numbers, because they were responsible for the situation and had to be held accountable.

What I don't understand is that people have seemed determined to try to encroach on Quebec's areas of jurisdiction for the past six years. It's interference. Can they not let us be effective in our areas of jurisdiction? They create agencies saying that they're going to delegate the work and demand accountability, but who ultimately makes the decision? What power does a minister have over this?

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Decisions ultimately rest with the ministers responsible. In the case of the agency, it's the secretary of state.

[Marie-Hélène Gaudreau, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Therefore, we have a guarantee that an agency won't be created to hide behind if there are failures, which there could be.

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Louis-Hébert, QC]

No, on the contrary. We can't do that; it would be too easy.

Ministerial responsibility is a fundamental principle. You mentioned Canada Post, for example. In that case, it was precisely ministerial responsibility that prompted me to act, thinking that I couldn't hide behind Canada Post when I'm the one responsible for it. The same is true for the agencies.

[Marie-Hélène Gaudreau, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

That isn't what we've seen in the past, and Canada Post has been running a deficit for seven years. That's a lot of taxpayer money.

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Louis-Hébert, QC]

I can quote you on that. Thank you, Ms. Gaudreau.

[Marie-Hélène Gaudreau, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

I have a few seconds left to ask you one last question.

I also sit on the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs, and we hear that veterans will have to tighten their belts, when we're talking about a significant investment in defence. For days now, we've been hearing about major flaws in the system, which is failing veterans, even though they need help as soon as they finish their service.

It would be very appropriate for you to look into that, Minister, because what they're hearing is very worrisome. Since they feel like they are just a number, they ultimately disengage, so they won't participate in the next round.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Thank you.

You can respond in writing, if you wish, or perhaps during another intervention.

We'll now go to Ms. Jansen, please, for five minutes.

[Tamara Jansen, Conservative, Cloverdale—Langley City, BC]

Minister Ali, I hope we agree that if we can't admit there's a problem, we're not going to fix it. Canadians deserve honesty about how their taxpayer dollars are being spent and tracked. Recently, the federal government got a D rating for fiscal accountability from the C.D. Howe report. Do you agree with that grade?

[Shafqat Ali, Liberal, Brampton—Chinguacousy Park, ON]

Through the chair, thank you for the question.

I will ask my deputy minister to comment on this technical question, please.

[Bill Matthews, Secretary of the Treasury Board of Canada, Treasury Board Secretariat]

Certainly, Mr. Chair.

That rating is given to federal and provincial jurisdictions. It's largely, in this case, based on the timeliness of documents as well as the quality. My understanding is that the federal government does very well on the quality and comprehensiveness. We are behind some of our provincial colleagues in terms of how early public accounts and budgets have been tabled.

[Tamara Jansen, Conservative, Cloverdale—Langley City, BC]

Unfortunately, if we don't own our failure, I don't know how we're going to promise reform.

Mr. Ali, I see public accounts as the government's final report card, the audited statement showing how much was really spent and earned. Last year's books were released in December, eight months late. On what date will you be tabling the public accounts for this year?

[Shafqat Ali, Liberal, Brampton—Chinguacousy Park, ON]

Chair, we plan to table the public accounts in the coming weeks, well in advance of the legislated tabling deadline, which is December 31.

[Tamara Jansen, Conservative, Cloverdale—Langley City, BC]

Minister Ali, I hope you agree also that Canadians shouldn't have to wait months to find out what's going wrong. If families miss a mortgage payment, they can't just stay silent. I don't think the government should either. Will you set a standing rule, as was suggested in that C.D. Howe report, that any future delay must be publicly explained within 48 hours with a new date, yes or no?

[Shafqat Ali, Liberal, Brampton—Chinguacousy Park, ON]

Our government is committed to building a more open, accountable government. That's why we launched the trust and transparency strategy to strengthen openness and rebuild confidence in our institutions.

[Tamara Jansen, Conservative, Cloverdale—Langley City, BC]

Was that a yes, then, that you'll commit to a...?

[Shafqat Ali, Liberal, Brampton—Chinguacousy Park, ON]

I can say that we're committed to building a more open and accountable government. Transparency strengthens openness and rebuilds confidence in our institutions.

[Tamara Jansen, Conservative, Cloverdale—Langley City, BC]

Something like that would definitely be a great way to show transparency.

[Shafqat Ali, Liberal, Brampton—Chinguacousy Park, ON]

We're committed to transparency and accountability. That's what I assure you.

[Tamara Jansen, Conservative, Cloverdale—Langley City, BC]

Minister, right now, Canadians need a Ph.D. to find the bottom line. They want a clear front-page summary, a simple table showing the big numbers up front instead of buried hundreds of pages deep. A one-page, at-a-glance summary means that taxpayers, journalists and MPs can all see at a glance how much is coming in, how much is going out and how deep we are in debt.

In the next budget, will the first 15 pages show a one-page, at-a-glance summary of total revenue, total spending, deficit surplus and debt, yes or no?

[Shafqat Ali, Liberal, Brampton—Chinguacousy Park, ON]

My colleagues, I just want to remind you that you cannot have a one-pager of a household budget. We're talking about a country's budget.

These public accounts will be tabled well ahead of their deadline. It will be detailed and public.