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.
Bloc
Marie-Hélène Gaudreau Bloc Laurentides—Labelle, QC
Thank you.
What will the accountability process be to enable parliamentarians, through entrepreneurs, to ensure that no small or medium-sized business is overlooked or deemed ineligible? Can you guarantee that you will keep us well informed?
I get the impression that this is a work in progress. The first phase has been completed since December. Can we have a guarantee that we'll be kept informed, so that we know whether the policy is beneficial to all small and medium-sized businesses?
Assistant Comptroller General, Financial Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat
I would say that's a very good consideration.
With respect to the grants and contributions, I can say that the policy application is not meant to be exclusionary. That means we want to be inclusive of those small and medium-sized enterprises, and we can see that by the diversity of the programming. When departments have programs that are targeting those more specific niche areas in which small and medium-sized enterprises are operating, they are encouraged to take that into consideration as they apply the buy Canadian policy. That's very much on their minds.
Conservative
Conservative
Tamara Jansen Conservative Cloverdale—Langley City, BC
Is there a single government-wide definition of “buy Canadian”?
Assistant Comptroller General, Financial Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat
For grants and contributions, we're leveraging the work that has been done by PSPC.
Conservative
Tamara Jansen Conservative Cloverdale—Langley City, BC
There's no single government-wide definition, then. Okay. I guess I can't ask my next one.
Are there federal Crown corporations that are currently exempt from the buy Canadian policy?
Executive Director, Procurement and Materiel Directorate, Treasury Board Secretariat
First, there is a definition of “Canadian supplier”. It's ingrained in the buy Canadian policy, and that is consistently—
Conservative
Tamara Jansen Conservative Cloverdale—Langley City, BC
That was a yes, then, to that other question.
Executive Director, Procurement and Materiel Directorate, Treasury Board Secretariat
Yes.
There are 35 Crown corporations that we can direct, and they have been directed by order in council. There are nine Crown corporations that are not subject to the government's power to direct, but those Crown corporations were provided letters of expectation highlighting the expectation that they follow buy Canadian.
Conservative
Tamara Jansen Conservative Cloverdale—Langley City, BC
Does the buy Canadian policy apply to procurement conducted outside Canada by federal organizations, or is foreign-based procurement excluded as an exception?
Executive Director, Procurement and Materiel Directorate, Treasury Board Secretariat
I believe that is one of the exceptions under the PSPC policy, but the specifics of that would be in their policy.
Conservative
Tamara Jansen Conservative Cloverdale—Langley City, BC
Have any federal entities formally requested exemption?
Executive Director, Procurement and Materiel Directorate, Treasury Board Secretariat
Treasury Board is not privy to that exception process.
Conservative
Tamara Jansen Conservative Cloverdale—Langley City, BC
You don't know how many exemptions have been granted so far.
Executive Director, Procurement and Materiel Directorate, Treasury Board Secretariat
The PSPC would be best placed to answer that question.
Conservative
Executive Director, Procurement and Materiel Directorate, Treasury Board Secretariat
I do not believe so, no.
Conservative
Tamara Jansen Conservative Cloverdale—Langley City, BC
You mentioned that this policy extends to grants, contributions, loans, infrastructure spending and Crown corps.
Has Treasury Board fully implemented those requirements government-wide?
Assistant Comptroller General, Financial Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat
We have communicated those requirements government-wide.
Conservative
Tamara Jansen Conservative Cloverdale—Langley City, BC
Okay. If not, which funding streams are still excluded?
Assistant Comptroller General, Financial Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat
None of those funding streams is specifically excluded.
Conservative
Tamara Jansen Conservative Cloverdale—Langley City, BC
Has the directive on transfer payments been amended to reflect buy Canadian requirements?
Assistant Comptroller General, Financial Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat
The policy as written did not require an amendment. It fully incorporates and is able to accommodate the buy Canadian policy.
Conservative
Tamara Jansen Conservative Cloverdale—Langley City, BC
Okay. Are departments currently operating under interim guidance?
