Evidence of meeting #16 for Industry, Science and Technology in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was vote.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
Will we see that in the supplementary estimates (A) that have to be done?
Director General, Resource Planning and Investments Branch, Department of Industry
No, because in the case of Genome, it will be charged directly from the budget implementation act. Where you will see it is in public accounts as payments are made. There will not be a need for a new appropriation to be voted. Once Bill C-9 is approved, the authorities will be granted to make the payments to Genome Canada.
Director General, Resource Planning and Investments Branch, Department of Industry
Yes.
Director General, Resource Planning and Investments Branch, Department of Industry
No.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
Where would somebody like me find the actuals that are spent in a year?
Director General, Resource Planning and Investments Branch, Department of Industry
You will find them in two places: either the Public Accounts of Canada or, for even more detail, the departmental report on plans and priorities.
NDP
Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you as well, Mr. Dicerni, for staying.
With regard to the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, what is going to be the focus? Is it going to be manufacturing, food processing, agriculture, renewable energy...? What's the plan for that agency over the next few years?
Deputy Minister, Department of Industry
In keeping with appropriate accountability responsibilities, I think you should ask Minister Goodyear and Deputy Minister Archibald. They have been making a number of decisions/announcements, and I think they would be in the best position to respond specifically to the going-forward strategies they have.
I could to speak to when we had a little bit of carriage of it in terms of getting it launched, where we invested some moneys, but in terms of going forward, you should ask them.
NDP
Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON
It's being politically crafted, then. The department doesn't have a plan or a business model that was evolved and then handed down to political decision-making? You're telling me right now that basically all you did was launch it--
Deputy Minister, Department of Industry
Well, just launching it, I think belittles the effort that went into it--
NDP
Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON
Well, you just told me to go see Mr. Goodyear and you're the deputy minister. If we ask you about Statistics Canada and all kinds of departments, you usually are able to provide a response. You just told me to go see somebody else.
Deputy Minister, Department of Industry
Minister Goodyearhas his own deputy minister. In the same way that Mr. Watson is deputy minister of Western Diversification, Minister Goodyear's deputy minister is Bruce Archibald.
Secondly, in terms of what I can speak to with some measure of authority and knowledge, I could speak to the investment that was made when we did the hand-off to Minister Goodyear and to Dr. Archibald, which was announced last August 13, I think.
Subsequent to that--because you're asking about their strategies, whether they are going to be in R and D or manufacturing or what have you--I thought it would be most helpful if they were able, in the same way as--
NDP
Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON
I just don't have them here, so.... Minister Clement approves the final decisions. Is that not true?
Deputy Minister, Department of Industry
In this particular case, Minister Goodyear does have authority to make decisions over which initiatives get federal support.
NDP
Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON
So Minister Clement will not make the final decision on those programs and spending, then?
NDP
Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON
Thank you. That's fair enough. We'll follow that up.
The marquee tourism program has attracted a lot of attention because a lot of festivals need several years to sustain themselves and evolve their markets, and there has been a really difficult period of time in regard to getting sponsorships, advertising, and other revenues that traditionally had been available out there--even attendance at some of these festivals.
Did your department recommend the marquee tourism programs that would be finalized? Did you present that to the minister for final...? Is there an evaluation? There are a lot of questions over, for example, the Toronto and Vancouver pride festivals, and even here in Ottawa, with jazz versus blues. Does your department have a full recommendation and then pass it on to the minister?
Deputy Minister, Department of Industry
The criteria that were used to assess programs, projects, or submissions are public; they're on our website. The AG is currently doing a review of year one of funding in terms of how we went about it. The department reviewed all applications that were submitted against program criteria to make sure that what was being proposed was eligible for funding in terms of certain activities. Then, in concert with the minister and the minister's office, final decisions were made about projects.
