Evidence of meeting #48 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 program.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5 p.m.
Vice-President, Technology and Industry Support, National Research Council Canada
And they travel.
5 p.m.
President, National Research Council Canada
Yes, of course, as my colleague was telling me, IRAP advisors also travel a lot within their territory to visit all manner of companies, wherever they are, in order to provide advice, as well as financial contributions if necessary.
5 p.m.
Bloc
Robert Vincent Bloc Shefford, QC
Let us now look at the tourism industry since we have not really dealt with it yet.
The tourism industry and the service industry have both been referred to by the minister earlier. The service industry is the one employing the largest number of Canadians. However, it is faced with various problems and a study has been carried out.
I would like to know what the position of the government is on credit and debit cards. I am quite sure that representatives of both industries—tourism and service—have made representations to you about the interchange fee. I would like to know your position on this.
5 p.m.
Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Industry Sector, Department of Industry
I think it would be fair to say that the Department of Industry will respect the position of the Department of Finance on this. There is a consultation paper out, which is being led by the Minister of Finance. He's collecting views from anyone who would want to share views.
I don't think it would be appropriate for us to express an opinion in advance of that consultation, and as a department, we have certainly not officially put forward a position on that at this time. We're anxious to see the results of the consultations.
5 p.m.
Bloc
Robert Vincent Bloc Shefford, QC
What representations have been made by those companies, whether in the service industry or in the tourism industry? What have they specifically requested from your department? The matter has been studied by the Standing Committee on Finance. You have most certainly already provided advice to the government about this after having heard from experts in both those industries.
I would like to know what your position is and also what those industries have requested from the government.
5:05 p.m.
Patrick Hurens Director, Service Industries Directorate, Department of Industry
Mr. Chair, I can answer the question, at least partly.
First, notwithstanding SMEs, no company has made any representations to us about this issue. However, various organizations, such as the Retail Council of Canada, which is it to appear before you next week, have indicated that they have a problem with what some credit and debit card companies want to do.
I also know that retailers have expressed some reservations about the way the code is being presented. Over the 60–day period, they have the opportunity to make representations to the Department of Finance. I do hope they will seize this opportunity to explain their problems and issues since this will probably have an influence on the code.
5:05 p.m.
Bloc
Robert Vincent Bloc Shefford, QC
Mrs. Volk, a while ago you seemed to know a bit more about the CANtex program. I would like to hear you about this.
5:05 p.m.
Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Industry Sector, Department of Industry
I am not an expert.
Just to make sure we're talking about the same program, we refer to it as CATIP, which is I think what threw us initially when you mentioned the program. It's the Canadian apparel and textiles industries program.
Is that the same name—a different acronym, but the same program?
5:05 p.m.
Director, Service Industries Directorate, Department of Industry
It was a sub-program.
5:05 p.m.
Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Industry Sector, Department of Industry
It was a sub-program, okay.
I'm not sure I can really elaborate. There is a program. It was established in 2002, I believe. It is scheduled to terminate on March 31, 2010. It was designed as a transformational program, so it is a contribution program that was established to help companies in that industry transform to meet the new reality.
So it was envisaged to be a program that would sunset. In the absence of any other decision, it would terminate in March. The department has not taken a—
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
December 2nd, 2009 / 5:05 p.m.
Conservative
Dave Van Kesteren Conservative Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I thought you were leaving, but I guess you're still here, so we're glad to have you still here.
I hope you didn't take offence when I said, “Sorry, to see you go”.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Anthony Rota
If you don't mind, I'll just cut in.
I just want to remind the members that we have the members of the National Research Council here. If we could keep it to that.... I realize we're all over, but I'm just letting you know they're here. It's just a little reminder.
Thank you.
5:05 p.m.
Conservative
Dave Van Kesteren Conservative Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON
Thank you for pointing that out.
Last year we conducted a tour of science and technology. We didn't finish it, but we had a fabulous tour. Robert, you were with me. Brian, were you there? I think it was just the two of us, the last two that were here. We didn't finish it, but we did get a chance to visit the University of Saskatchewan.
I guess that is called a centre of excellence. Is that correct? It's kind of the same thing you're talking about, Mr. Coulombe, a facility that would bridge the gap between the research and productivity. They had these small businesses they started.
How are you tied, or are you at all tied into those? Do you have any connection with centres of excellence?
I had some of my answers given to me. It is a little complicated when we look at who administers these. It's a granting council, apparently, or something, but when I look at that, it's getting me....
5:05 p.m.
President, National Research Council Canada
I know that we have been involved with many universities across the country, supporting them in their requests to get commercialization centres. At the University of Saskatchewan we have an institute called the Plant Biotechnology Institute, which you may have visited.
Yes, indeed, we do collaborate with some of them. I cannot guarantee that we collaborate with all of them, but I am aware that we've been involved with some of them. Some were not funded altogether because many proposals were made under this program, but we have tie-ins with some of those commercialization centres, indeed.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
Dave Van Kesteren Conservative Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON
How many other centres of excellence are there? I'm not talking about the one in Saskatchewan. Do you know how many there are across the country?
5:10 p.m.
President, National Research Council Canada
I believe there are 15 of those, but this program is not under NRC leadership. This is an Industry Canada program. I believe there are 15 commercialization centres. Is that right, Pat?
5:10 p.m.
Vice-President, Technology and Industry Support, National Research Council Canada
There were 10 in the first round.
5:10 p.m.
President, National Research Council Canada
Yes, there were 10 in the first round and maybe 5 in the second round. I cannot tell you if we are collaborating officially with all of them because some may be located where NRC has no capacity, but for those that are located where NRC has capacity, we most likely are collaborating with those centres.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
Dave Van Kesteren Conservative Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON
I had a visit from the folks from MITACS. Are you familiar with the program MITACS?
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
Dave Van Kesteren Conservative Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON
That is a centre of excellence. They take mathematicians or students who are involved in math and they place them with different industries. Are you familiar with that? Are you working in collaboration with those as well?
5:10 p.m.
Vice-President, Technology and Industry Support, National Research Council Canada
Yes, MITACS, and especially their youth program, is something that is working very closely with IRAP. We've had them actually visit each of our regions to describe their program and what they're looking for so that we can work closely together.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
Dave Van Kesteren Conservative Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON
Their request was to expand that. Do you see something of merit there? Do you feel that program is underfunded, or is it something that can be used?
5:10 p.m.
Vice-President, Technology and Industry Support, National Research Council Canada
I'm aware of it, and I think it's a good program. I'm not aware of their funding level, what their aspirations are, and what sort of ask they have. But it is certainly a program that we work with. There is still capacity for placing young people in businesses, and that is certainly something worthy of support and it is something that IRAP supports as well.