Evidence of meeting #2 for Industry, Science and Technology in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was million.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Richard Dicerni  Deputy Minister, Department of Industry
Paul Boothe  Senior Associate Deputy Minister, Department of Industry

5:25 p.m.

NDP

Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON

The problem, though, is that we have 700 people who are being fired, which appears contrary to what Xstrata has said publicly and agreed to. I remember going through that whole deal. There have been similar ones in the past—China Minmetals and others. There's been real drama in the mining industry. They've reaped the benefits when the price was high. There was no problem reaping the benefits.

Was there ever any consideration, or could there be consideration, of buffering some of this? Seven hundred jobs is a lot. I appreciate your sincerity. Nobody would believe that you could just pick up the phone and $680 million would come flowing into Sudbury just from talking with them. Obviously, a lot of planning goes into the new developments. But they're not guaranteed to happen, either. Did you get a special agreement from them? Is there a signed agreement, something you can table?

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

Tony Clement Conservative Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON

There's a signed undertaking, and I'm obliged to live within the act. Let's put it that way. I believe the undertaking has contractual validity. Certainly we will hold them to it.

5:25 p.m.

NDP

Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON

Is there going to be anything else done for the 700 people who were—

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

Tony Clement Conservative Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON

Absolutely. We have to be there for people in those circumstances. That's why we have retraining programs; that's why we have assistance programs. We now have a community adjustment fund that Sudbury will be eligible for. FedNor gets a chunk of that money, $26 million of community adjustment fund money. All of that is in play. I had a good discussion with John Rodriguez, the mayor, about some of his infrastructure needs, to make sure that they'd be eligible for the Building Canada Fund. All hands are on deck in Sudbury for this.

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Michael Chong

Thank you, Mr. Masse. Thank you, Minister.

That concludes our questioning on the supplementary estimates B for the supply period ending March 26, 2009.

I think I speak on behalf of all members of the committee when I say thank you to the minister and his Industry Canada officials for appearing in front of us today on short notice and for the full two hours.

Committee members, we have just one item of business left, and that's to go to the votes on the supplementary estimates B. I want to let the members of the committee know that they've been given four sets of supplementary estimates. One is for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, another is for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the regions of Quebec, the third is for Industry Canada, and the fourth is for Western Economic Diversification.

I don't think this will take a lot of time. There are 19 votes that we're going to go through. I think 18 of them are on the individual line items in the supplementary estimates, and the 19th vote is to ask for your permission to report the supplementary estimates back to the House.

Without further ado....

Go ahead, Mr. Lake.

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

Mike Lake Conservative Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB

I just have a quick question in terms of procedure here. Rather than go through 19 votes, is there a way we can do this more quickly?

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Michael Chong

Certainly if it is the wish of the committee to do it that way, we could unanimously adopt all of the supplementary estimates and then I'd take the second vote to report it back to the House.

5:25 p.m.

Liberal

Anthony Rota Liberal Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON

The Liberals are fine with that.

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Michael Chong

All those in favour of the supplementary estimates B?

5:25 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Michael Chong

Shall I report the supplementary estimates to the House?

5:25 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Michael Chong

Thank you very much.

5:25 p.m.

Liberal

Marc Garneau Liberal Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC

Mr. Chairman, just out of interest, when do you report to the House?

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Michael Chong

The estimates will be reported back to the House in the next day or two.

The meeting is adjourned.