Government Operations Committee on Nov. 27th, 2025

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Crowfoot, AB]

You don't know what it will cost or if you need it. You've also said that the reason you can't give the PBO the information it has asked for and is lawfully entitled to receive is that you are concerned about the individual workers in the public service.

If you're going to get to your goal through people leaving voluntarily, there are no individuals who will be forced out. Furthermore, they're self-selecting. There is no privacy issue here. There is no individual whose either privacy or information would be out early.

Why don't you just do what you're required to under the Parliament of Canada Act and give the PBO the information that it's asked for so that parliamentarians have access to the PBO's advice before we vote on these supplementary estimates?

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

We will respond to the PBO as early as possible, most probably in the first week of December.

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Crowfoot, AB]

You said on the 30th you would do so and you didn't. How are we to take you at your word now?

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

I don't know. You're making up that I said the 30th.

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Crowfoot, AB]

No, I mean when you appeared at this committee on the 30th.

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

I am not sure.

[Bill Matthews]

I don't recall a date being committed to.

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

Chair, did I say that? I don't recall that.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

I'm sorry. I'll just interrupt, and I'll stop the clock.

You did state on October 30, to me, that you would provide the information.

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

I did not give a date, Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

I'm not arguing with you. I'm just stating that's when....

I'll turn it back over to Mr. Kelly.

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Crowfoot, AB]

It is disappointing that we are not getting the information that has been requested.

Let's just pick one, for example, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. That one seems to be heavy on operations, and it's one that the PBO wanted to know about. Can you not tell us anything about what types of reductions you're going to be looking for in that department?

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

As I said, the early retirement incentive program will help to manage a reduction through attrition and voluntary departures. All employees will be treated with compassion, in accordance with their collective agreement terms and conditions of employment.

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Crowfoot, AB]

I didn't ask you how you were going to reduce the numbers. I asked you what types of operations might be affected or what types of employees you are going to be looking at.

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

Every department was asked to put forward proposals. All ministers were asked to put forward proposals. They put forward proposals, and that's where we'll finalize those CERs.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Thanks.

I'm trying to balance your time against cutting you off, Minister.

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

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Ms. Romanado, welcome. I'm not sure you've been with OGGO before.

[Sherry Romanado, Liberal, Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne, QC]

I don't think I have, so I'm delighted to be here.

Thank you so much.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

The floor is yours for five minutes. Welcome.

[Sherry Romanado, Liberal, Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne, QC]

Thank you so much, Chair.

Through you, I'd like to thank the witnesses for being with us today.

Minister, you spoke about the extraordinary moment Canada's facing and the generational investments that we need to get right. Some of my colleagues highlighted some of them. As we move forward, we're making sure that the federal dollars we invest strengthen opportunities for Canadian workers, support our industries and deliver benefits here at home. Can you elaborate on that and on the importance of the buy Canada approach?

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

Thank you so much, my friend, for the important question.

We are going through a time like no one has seen before. This is a global economic shift. There are new economic realities. With what we see south of the border, with the tariff situation, I think it's important for us to find ways to build Canada strong and to find the road that leads to success for future generations.

One of the policies we are implementing is a buy Canadian policy, which will move us from best efforts to clear obligations to buy Canadian so that federal dollars directly support Canadian workers and industries.

We're moving from reliance to resilience. Budget 2025 provides a clear investment to fully implement that policy across departments, agencies and Crown corporations, making it consistent and effective.

We are also developing harmonized procurement regulations to bring Canada's complex rules into one clear framework, which will simplify operations, reduce legal risk and give suppliers the clarity they need to compete. Through new supports for small and medium-sized businesses, we're helping Canadians break firmly into federal markets. We are focused on that.

To assist, as the Treasury Board president, I have launched a red-tape review to reduce those duplicative regulatory burdens so that we can grow our economy faster and make it the strongest economy in the G7.

[Sherry Romanado, Liberal, Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne, QC]

Further to that, I know that my colleague touched on the important new investments we're making across the government, including in national defence. As the parliamentary secretary for national defence, I have to say that I am quite pleased that we are making those historic investments of $81.8 billion over the next five years.

Can you elaborate on how those investments, especially here at home, can not only help support the economy in these turbulent times but also help reinvigorate the defence industry in Canada? We have such incredible industries here, especially in Quebec, in aerospace. What is the importance of reinvigorating that industry and supporting it so that we can get the men and women in uniform what they need?

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

That is an amazing question, and I think your family is in the forces.

This is the time when we need to sustainably build our forces to be stronger, and that's why it is important to invest in our Canadian Armed Forces, to provide them the tools and training they need to secure our borders and to strengthen our capabilities. We're investing in naval ship repairs, in more capabilities and additional.... We have actually raised salaries by 20% and are hiring more personnel. These are really important steps towards making the Canadian Armed Forces and industries sustainable so we can assist Europe and build.....

I think my time is up, but this is the way to build Canada strong, and that's what we're doing.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Thank you.

To finish up, we have Madame Gaudreau, please.