Evidence of meeting #136 for Indigenous and Northern Affairs in the 44th 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.
Liberal
Ben Carr Liberal Winnipeg South Centre, MB
Although I deeply respect that my colleague is asking important questions that pertain to the men and women in our armed forces, last time I checked, this is not the committee for national defence, nor is there anything in the motion related to relevance on this topic.
Perhaps our colleague can be reminded, Mr. Chair, of why we're here. He should know that, because the 18 hours that we're sitting were forced upon us by them. Perhaps he can get back to the topic at hand.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Patrick Weiler
Thank you, Mr. Carr.
We provide a fairly wide range of latitude here, but I do want to remind members to make sure they're sticking with the matter at hand here as well.
I did stop the time for you, Mr. Zimmer. You have a little bit more than four minutes.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
It continued:
The “critical issues” discovered by the soldiers “related to [a] lack of warmth with the new GPSBS”, said the briefing note, written on [December 5th, 2023].
Why would you buy 55,000 sleeping bags—for $34.8 million—that don't work in our Canadian north or the Arctic?
Liberal
Jean-Yves Duclos Liberal Québec, QC
I think the answer was already suggested by my colleague Ben Carr. You have the right to ask the question, and you have the right to have the right person answer it. Minister Blairwould be the right person in this case.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
Thank you, Minister, but actually, it's your department that's in charge of procurement and procurement of military-issued materials. We asked for this in my Order Paper question in September. It was given to your department, and you answered us. That tells me that it was your department that was responsible—
Liberal
Ben Carr Liberal Winnipeg South Centre, MB
I'm seeking your guidance, Mr. Chair.
I understand, as a chair as well, that we can give a generous amount of latitude. Can Mr. Zimmer—and if not Mr. Zimmer, you—please provide some explanation as to how anything—anything—in the order that the House passed here in relation to the question that he is currently asking is connected to the procurement of military supplies?
If not, Mr. Chair, then I will yet again intervene with a point of order to ask for further guidance.
Thank you.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Patrick Weiler
Thank you, Mr. Carr.
Certainly the study that we're doing today is an update to the barriers to economic development in indigenous communities. I was giving a fairly wide latitude to Mr. Zimmer in hopes that his line of questioning would circulate to the matter at hand. I do want to remind members to stick to the topic at hand and on which we have been ordered by the House to do this study.
With that, I'll turn the floor back to Mr. Zimmer. You have a bit more than three minutes left.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'll get back to my question.
Again, the question went to your ministry, Minister, and what you sent back as an answer was that this adaptability makes the sleeping bag suitable for diverse operational environments, including but not limited to Arctic conditions.
Once again, it was your department that procured these sleeping bags that don't work, and it does relate to what this committee is here about. It's about Arctic sovereignty and about our north—
December 9th, 2024 / 5:15 p.m.
Liberal
Liberal
Brendan Hanley Liberal Yukon, YT
With respect, and in a follow-up to my colleague Mr. Carr, I'm failing to see the relevance of this question to the subject at hand: barriers to economic development in indigenous communities.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Patrick Weiler
Thank you, Mr. Hanley.
Again, I also don't see the relevance of this to the study at hand. We do have some very significant issues. I would suggest that we should be spending this time on barriers to indigenous economic development and procurement.
I know that there have been very many relevant questions that have been asked today, and I'll just remind members to be sure to stick to the topic at hand so that we can get those answers.
I'll go back to Mr. Zimmer.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
I represent, as the shadow minister for northern affairs and Arctic sovereignty, northerners and Inuit across the three territories. One thing that is very much a concern for people in the north is Arctic sovereignty and security. Equipment like this is procured and needed for their Arctic sovereignty. Protection of that Arctic sovereignty is necessary.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
I know this government doesn't want to talk about it.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
I know this government has another point of order.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
That's fine. Let's get back after it, then.
Is that fine?
Liberal
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Patrick Weiler
Mr. Zimmer, I'm going to hand the floor back to you. You have a little more than two and a half minutes at this point. Please do your best to stick to the topic at hand.
We did a very robust study on the north. The committee actually visited a number of communities in the north, where we studied these topics. I think that would have been a very appropriate time to bring up those topics. I don't see the relevance to the matter at hand today. I want to give you the opportunity, in the two and a half minutes you have at this point, to return to that.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
Thank you. I'll get back to it once again.
Are you the procurement minister, yes or no?
Liberal