Government Operations Committee on May 7th, 2026

[Scott Davis]

We're definitely preparing for it. It's a reality for all. The investments are aligning towards that, but it is a broader conversation from a tripartite perspective and how we're working with Treasury Board and CSE to advance that. Yes, it is recognized as the challenge of the future and even of today.

[Jenna Sudds, Liberal, Kanata, ON]

Absolutely.

I have, maybe, one last question for you. You mentioned CANChat. It's exciting in this moment to equip public servants with these tools. Can you share a bit around the timelines and what public servants can expect around deployment of CANChat?

[Scott Davis]

For sure. We've incubated a capability that we primarily ran at Shared Services Canada for the last 12 or 18 months. We have replatformed it now in a secure manner in which we are now actively rolling out, department by department, to onboard to this capability. Don't quote me on the exact timeline, but within the next year, all public servants will have access with a secure, on-prem, reliable and non-polluted by foreign interference—my words—capability. We're quite proud of it. It's an investment we made, and it's very powerful.

[Jenna Sudds, Liberal, Kanata, ON]

That's incredible. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Thank you.

Go ahead, Madame Gaudreau.

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

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I would like some more details about those behind CANChat. Who are they?

Did we create that platform?

[Scott Davis]

Thank you for the question.

Yes, the team in Shared Services Canada created it.

As I mentioned earlier in English, we are really proud that we have this resource. All departments are asking us to continue, even to proceed more quickly. The tool allows us to establish other databases so that we can capture information that is impossible to handle with the tools on the market.

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

It will also allow us to achieve digital sovereignty in all aspects.

Am I right?

[Scott Davis]

Yes, it was built for the purpose of achieving digital sovereignty.

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

Mr. Chair, could I make a small request, given the imminent arrival of a new Governor General?

I would like to see a breakdown of the costs incurred in the last five years. Taxpayers come to my office asking for that information and I have no answer for them. It will also allow us to see what is coming. We will see whether there are any changes in the proposals to reduce costs. If there are any cost-reduction goals and criteria, I would like to receive them.

You will not be surprised by my next question, which has not been answered. It is about the role of public servants working from home and returning to the office. I would like to know, in concrete terms, how it improves the quality of work and the services to the public.

I asked the President of the Treasury Board that question but I did not get an answer.

[Mark Quinlan, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Real Property Services, Department of Public Works and Government Services]

Thank you for the question.

You were right to ask Treasury Board. Public Services and Procurement Canada is a supplier of services. The employer determines the needs, the number of employees and the way to accommodate them. Our role, in terms of real estate and offices, is to give them the space that will accommodate their request.

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

From what I understand, there's not enough space.

Am I right?

[Mark Quinlan]

It depends.

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

Is it about leasing or renovating space?

[Mark Quinlan]

No, it does not depend on that, nor on the space in Crown-owned buildings. It's really about the number of workspaces vis-à-vis the number of employees.

Several departments need more work spaces than employees. In that case, returning to the office four days a week, or even five days a week, is not a concern.

However, other organizations have fewer work spaces than employees. In that case, they can look at unused environments in order to increase capacity. In other cases, no sufficient space is available and we have to make temporary exceptions while we work to increase the density.

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

Do you have any information about the way work is done?

In the private sector, very specific adjustments are made, thereby increasing the quality of the work. That's the sort of thing we are asking about at the moment.

Which studies are you using?

Can you provide us with the criteria you used to make your choice about the return to work?

Can you send them to the committee? We would be grateful. It would let us understand the new arrangements and challenges.

[Mark Quinlan]

As I mentioned, the decision about returning to the office was not one that Public Services and Procurement Canada made. So I would not be able to provide you with studies or to answer your questions in that regard.

However, I can tell you that we use best practices governing the use of space. We can provide you with information on that, if you are interested.

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

You could also pass on the message that we are waiting for answers.

[Mark Quinlan]

It's in the public domain.

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

Understood. That's great. We want to be efficient.

I have a lot more questions but I do not have a lot more time.

I have a real concern regarding Shared Services Canada. It's about the geopolitical context. The minister was here, just the day before yesterday. He told us about IBM Bromont. It seems to be Canadian, which is a comfort. But the parent company is still American. That's why I asked the question about the new software.

We are well aware that our policies on cybersecurity and on the protection of personal information is not progressing a lot. I worked on it for two or three years, from 2019 to 2021. We have not done much since.

Can you please put people's minds at rest?

All the talk of software gives people allergic reactions. I start itching all over. Can you assure us that, when we talk of buying Canadian, we are really talking about our own intelligence, right here?

[Scott Davis]

Thank you for the question.

Let me say two things.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

You have time for only a very limited response, Mr. Davis.

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

I only have five seconds left.

[Scott Davis]

As we said earlier, 91% of our contracts go to companies that are Canadian, or at least not American.

I have a report on that. I can send it to you.

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

I would be grateful if you could send it to us.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.