Evidence of meeting #41 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was procurement.
A video is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Executive Director, Procurement and Materiel Directorate, Treasury Board Secretariat
Yes, absolutely.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
That's wonderful.
Thank you very much for being with us again today. We appreciate all the answers, and we'll see you again. We are dismissing you.
Colleagues, before we go, the budget for this study came out and was sent to everyone. Can I have approval for it?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
That's wonderful.
Our first report stage of the CER report is this Thursday in the second hour. We'll go in camera for that. I suggest that you put in your recommendations to the analysts by noon this Friday, in both languages. Then they'll start the process of taking a look at any overlapping ones. Please do that by noon.
Thursday, after the PBO, we are going to be voting on the main estimates. That should take about 30 seconds, but this is just a heads-up.
There is one last issue with our schedule. As part of this study and part of the motion we agreed on, we invited Minister Lightbound. Unfortunately—and it's becoming a habit—he has declined to attend. Ms. Sudds, who is with us often, is the parliamentary secretary, so I'm going to suggest that perhaps Mr. Danko can talk to Ms. Sudds, and we can try again to have a commitment from the minister to attend on this important issue—maybe not on the 9th, but at a later date.
Go ahead, Mrs. Block.
Conservative
Conservative
Kelly Block Conservative Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK
When we decided to undertake this study, it was unanimously supported by all members. Obviously, that's what unanimous support means, but there was no hesitation when the plan included bringing the minister at the end of the study so that we would have an opportunity to ask him some questions about this policy. I'm very disappointed and concerned that Minister Lightbound is once again refusing to appear before a committee on something that clearly falls within his portfolio. I want to put that on the record.
As you noted, it's becoming a habit when he decides he is not going to come because he doesn't have to. It's incumbent on ministers to come and defend their budgets and their policies. This is a huge one, and it's extremely important. I've been hearing from stakeholders and folks in industry that it's not as cut and dried as it first appears, that there are issues with government procurement under this policy, or even understanding it, so it would be good for the minister to come.
I would appeal to my colleagues across the way to have another conversation with the minister to see if they could change his mind.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
It's a large platform. I understand, from Mr. Danko's nodding, that we will make an attempt.
Liberal
John-Paul Danko Liberal Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON
I appreciate the attention to this issue. I totally agree: It's an important issue that Canadians are very much seized with at the moment.
I think we have three meetings scheduled, at the end of June, on this specific study. From our perspective, we're really interested in hearing from the expert witnesses, the people in the industry, to provide their feedback.
However, I'll certainly take back the committee's request to the ministry and provide you with a further answer.
Thank you.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
Perhaps, after we've had more witnesses and some more testimony, there will be, in the minister's mind, a more appropriate time.
Conservative
Jeremy Patzer Conservative Swift Current—Grasslands—Kindersley, SK
Mr. Chair, can I just briefly...?
Conservative
Jeremy Patzer Conservative Swift Current—Grasslands—Kindersley, SK
I think the motion said that there would be no fewer than three meetings. There's room for us to add a fourth meeting to make sure we can accommodate the minister's coming, so we can make sure we can get him here.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
We're always very flexible about a minister's time, regardless of who the minister is.
If there's nothing else, we will adjourn. We'll see everyone on Thursday. Thank you very much.