Industry Committee on Nov. 19th, 2018

[Mitch Davies]

I would profile, in the last budget, the $700 million in new funding for IRAP. It is a singular investment in start-ups. Businesses that at some point we'll know the name of start somewhere and have that initial help.

We're happy that we have this website platform to get people access to the programs that are there and get it to them in two minutes or less, because they don't have time. They need government to be coherent and to be able to give them the answers they need.

I appreciate the time to comment.

[Lloyd Longfield, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Dan Ruimy]

Thank you.

We're going to go to Mr. Albas. You have five minutes.

[Dan Albas]

Thank you.

Deputy Minister, earlier in response to my NDP colleague here, you mentioned that you are currently working on a small and medium-sized response, specifically on steel and aluminum tariffs.

Could you just explain what you meant by that?

[John Knubley]

I meant what I said. The details of that have not yet been made public, but we are looking at exactly what needs to be done there.

[Dan Albas]

Is there a reason why? Can you maybe elucidate some of the details as to why you're looking into that?

[John Knubley]

The simple answer is that the SIF program itself tends to look at larger firms.

[Dan Albas]

It's over 200 employees usually. Is that what the limit is?

[John Knubley]

Yes.

[Dan Albas]

Many small and medium-sized entrepreneurs I've spoken with are either eating the tariffs—and thus the price goes up and their customers are just not making as many orders because the price is higher—or.... Pardon me, it's the reverse there. They're either passing it along or they're eating the tariffs and thus their profitability and their ability to capitalize is an issue.

Is that similar to what you're hearing from small and medium-sized businesses?

[John Knubley]

Totally.

[Dan Albas]

Okay.

Can you provide us with an update on the consultations on revisions to the 3,500 megahertz band?

[John Knubley]

Well, the consultations took place, and now we are reviewing exactly what the next steps will be on the 3,500 megahertz band.

The decisions have not yet been made, but we hope to come forward with that in due course.

[Dan Albas]

I've heard from many who are concerned that their Internet service in rural areas may be lost in order for cities to have more 5G.

Will the ministry ensure that no rural customers will lose service due to any changes?

[John Knubley]

We will do our darndest to take into account the challenges that the rural citizens have in this area, in the context of the 3,500 megahertz band.

[Dan Albas]

That leaves me with cold comfort there.

In regard to the Canadian Space Agency, I see there is just over $27 million for funding for RADARSAT Constellation Mission. Is that with the current delays, or is that in anticipation of that? What I mean to say is, will there be further need for funding of that mission due to its current delays?

[John Knubley]

No.

[Dan Albas]

Okay.

Since the Ottawa tornado, we've been discussing wind issues at this committee, or at least some of us have been talking about that. We've been asking about industry's preparedness when it comes to these kinds of cases, because Canadians are concerned that in an emergency they may not be able to use their cellphones.

Obviously, being so close to home, I would hope that your ministry has been looking into this. Does any of the funding in this current allocation in the supplementary estimates (A) have anything to do with studying that issue?

[John Knubley]

I believe that the answer would be no. To reassure you, though, clearly critical infrastructure issues, like the tornado, involve an important telecom component, as you identify.

We look at that on an ongoing basis, working with other agencies, such as the public security agencies, for example.

[Dan Albas]

Beyond just assuring us that it is a concern, are there any documents or reports that your department has made public in order that the public can be reassured that this is being looked at?

[Lisa Setlakwe]

I'm not aware of any reports. We've been in the business of these kinds of emergencies, whether it's forest fires or others, so we are equipped and resourced to deal with that.

However, I'm not aware of any reports per se on this particular—

[Dan Albas]

Okay. When you say you're equipped and resourced for that, did your department take any swift action during the recent Ottawa incident?

[Lisa Setlakwe]

We were at the ready. There's—

[Dan Albas]

What does that mean?

[Lisa Setlakwe]

Well, there are staff dedicated to making sure that infrastructure is either in the state it needs to be in to support emergency responders—