Industry Committee on May 13th, 2010

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

Were any of your recommendations overturned?

[Richard Dicerni]

This would be bordering on that very delicate zone of ministerial-departmental interface--

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

No. I don't think it is. Let me give you a quick example. For student summer programs, we as members of Parliament are presented a list, and we either approve or disapprove of that list, and you can make adjustments to that even if you're in opposition. It makes no difference.

The same thing happens in this situation. When you submit a list to the minister, what I want to know is whether or not that list was changed from the original submissions from the department.

[Richard Dicerni]

As I said, we reviewed all applications that were submitted and provided an assessment as to how closely they conformed to program criteria, and then had subsequent discussions with the minister and the minister's office. At the end of the day, obviously, all the decisions are made by the minister.

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

But you make recommendations, do you not?

[Richard Dicerni]

We assessed all projects against criteria.

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

Do you make recommendations? That's almost absurd. I've dealt with youth programs and worked on them for years, and they've always had recommendations from the departments that go forward in terms of the analysis.

[Richard Dicerni]

There are a couple of things that I think are worthy of noting. This program is an element within the economic action plan. I can give you another example of the other major program within the EAP that the department was responsible for, which is the knowledge infrastructure program. We used exactly the same approach. We reviewed all applications from universities, community colleges, assessed them against--

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

Mr. Dicerni, I'm asking a simple question: whether the department makes recommendations to the minister.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

The deputy minister has responded. You may not be happy with the response, but he has answered your question. I'm going to go to Mr. Braid next, but the deputy minister has responded.

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

That's not a response. It's a simple, straightforward question: whether they make recommendations about a program or not.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

I think, Mr. Masse, if you review the transcript, you'll see in fact that the deputy minister did answer that question. I ask that you take a look at it later--

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

I'll leave it at that, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

--and if we want to pursue that further at some future date, we can.

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

I'll leave it at that. Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Right now we're going to go to Mr. Braid.

[Peter Braid, Conservative, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you to our officials for being here this morning.

[Richard Dicerni]

Pardon me--

[Peter Braid, Conservative, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

Yes, sir?

[Richard Dicerni]

I believe that your colleagues at public accounts would like me to visit with them now.

[Paul Boothe]

I'm still here.

[Peter Braid, Conservative, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Dicerni.

I have just a couple of questions with respect to estimates for FedDev. I'm not sure if their answers or questions can be addressed this morning without Minister Goodyear or Mr. Archibald here, but let's give it a try.

First of all, I note in the estimates for FedDev that the southern Ontario development program, SODP, has estimated spending of $176 million in 2010 and 2011. Could you speak to what that spending will be on, what types of programs or initiatives?

[Paul Boothe]

Unfortunately, what we really need to do to give you a good answer to that is the RPP of FedDev Ontario, which we don't have right now.

The other thing to say, of course, is that Minister Goodyear and Bruce Archibald are the real experts, so they'll be the ones who could give you the best answers.

[Peter Braid, Conservative, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

Is the SODP a five-year program?

[Johanne Bernard]

I believe so, but I'm not sure.