Evidence of meeting #54 for Industry, Science and Technology in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was security.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Ron Parker  President, Shared Services Canada
Raj Thuppal  Assistant Deputy Minister, Cyber and IT Security, Shared Services Canada
Graham Barr  Acting Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategy, Shared Services Canada
Wayne Smith  Former Chief Statistician of Canada, As an Individual
Ivan Fellegi  Former Chief Statistician of Canada, As an Individual

10:25 a.m.

NDP

Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON

Thank you.

10:25 a.m.

Former Chief Statistician of Canada, As an Individual

Wayne Smith

—a government in the future will be just as capable of doing what happened in 2011.

10:25 a.m.

NDP

Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON

Thank you.

10:25 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Dan Ruimy

Sorry to cut you off. We are tight on time.

We're going to move on to Mr. Baylis.

You have seven minutes.

10:25 a.m.

Liberal

Frank Baylis Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Fellegi, I'd like to understand. You talked about the advisory council and, to my understanding, the existing council is being cut from 40 people to 10. You think that's a drastic cut. When there were 40 people, was the council functional? What would be the right number, and what should it be doing?

10:25 a.m.

Former Chief Statistician of Canada, As an Individual

Dr. Ivan Fellegi

There isn't a single right number, but I think that 10 goes quite far if one wants to incorporate in that statistics advisory committee or council the variety of disciplines that Statistics Canada is active in and that need to be considered in terms of priorities. Here I refer to the variety of geographical areas, the variety of client groups needed—

10:25 a.m.

Liberal

Frank Baylis Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC

Were you happy when it was 40?

10:25 a.m.

Former Chief Statistician of Canada, As an Individual

Dr. Ivan Fellegi

I was happy when it was 40.

10:25 a.m.

Liberal

Frank Baylis Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC

And it was working when it was 40.

10:25 a.m.

Former Chief Statistician of Canada, As an Individual

Dr. Ivan Fellegi

It was working. It didn't try to vote on anything. It came to consensus, and sometimes with dissenting views, which is quite appropriate, but it provided extremely valuable advice—

10:25 a.m.

Liberal

Frank Baylis Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC

Understood.

10:25 a.m.

Former Chief Statistician of Canada, As an Individual

Dr. Ivan Fellegi

—to me throughout my tenure.

10:25 a.m.

Liberal

Frank Baylis Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC

Mr. Smith, do you have any comments on that?

10:25 a.m.

Former Chief Statistician of Canada, As an Individual

Wayne Smith

I share Dr. Fellegi's view.

It could be somewhat smaller than 40, but still, 10 is too small.

10:25 a.m.

Former Chief Statistician of Canada, As an Individual

Dr. Ivan Fellegi

Yes, I agree.

10:25 a.m.

Liberal

Frank Baylis Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC

Ten is too small, so give us a number.

You've worked with the councils, so what would work for you?

10:25 a.m.

Former Chief Statistician of Canada, As an Individual

Wayne Smith

The thought that comes to mind is about 20 to 24, somewhere in there.

10:25 a.m.

Liberal

Frank Baylis Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC

That would give you broad enough—

10:25 a.m.

Former Chief Statistician of Canada, As an Individual

Wayne Smith

Regional representation, sectoral representation, a wide range of views.

10:25 a.m.

Liberal

Frank Baylis Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC

You called on this council in your roles. It was valuable to you in your roles.

April 4th, 2017 / 10:25 a.m.

Former Chief Statistician of Canada, As an Individual

Wayne Smith

Very much so.

They meet twice a year, and they are invaluable in ensuring that our program evolves in line with the interests of Canadians.

10:25 a.m.

Former Chief Statistician of Canada, As an Individual

Dr. Ivan Fellegi

It also provides service in the case of a crisis. There are knowledgeable spokespersons in a variety of locations and disciplines who can actually defend, from an independent perspective, outside of Statistics Canada's perspective, when Statistics Canada needs defence. It's a very important support group.

I totally agree with the 20 to 25.

Interestingly, when you push that number—

10:25 a.m.

Liberal

Frank Baylis Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC

Okay, that's fine.

10:25 a.m.

Former Chief Statistician of Canada, As an Individual

Dr. Ivan Fellegi

—those are the numbers that you—

10:25 a.m.

Liberal

Frank Baylis Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC

And I guess regional representation would be simply one of those factors.