Evidence of meeting #9 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 support.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:05 p.m.
Acting Deputy Minister and President, Canada Economic Development
We are focusing on green technologies. We will also focus on supporting indigenous groups and small businesses that are already robust, but that we would like to further develop.
Quebec had the gazelles program a few years ago; today, that's the PerforME program. That is for companies that are fairly well established, but that need additional support to achieve high performance. We are working a great deal on that right now.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
Frank Baylis Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
Okay.
This is a quick question for everybody. As you're now under one umbrella, I would see this as an opportunity to start to share best practices. Am I correct?
Maybe you could say a little bit about that, Ms. Meredith.
5:05 p.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Western Economic Diversification
Certainly.
We've already identified some areas concerning which we have had conversations, including with other members of the portfolio.
For example, the head of Destination Canada came to us in a group and talked about what they are doing—that was before they got $50 million of budget 2016 money—on the marketing end and how we might support them in terms of product development within our regions. ACOA is very strong in that area, and so we can learn from ACOA and we intend to do so through more conversation about how they are doing things.
As to aboriginal economic growth, we have a very structured approach at WD, with a project charter and a project team and being very much metrics-based. We can share that with our colleagues as well to make sure we're all giving focus to it.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Dan Ruimy
Thank you very much.
Finally, we will go to Madame Moore.
You have two minutes.
5:05 p.m.
NDP
Christine Moore NDP Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
That is great.
First, I would like to perhaps allow the representatives from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency to answer my question about community consultations and the transparency strategies in place to improve it.
I will give you the time to answer the question you were not able to answer.
5:05 p.m.
Vice-President, Finance and Corporate Services, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
The Canada Opportunities Agency is a very decentralized organization that is very present in the communities. As a result, being on the lookout and really trying to understand what is happening in the communities is first attributable to our structure. We have 23 offices in the communities and one office in the capital of each province. We maintain an ongoing dialogue with universities, businesses, colleges, research institutions and industry associations. In addition, we hold round tables on a fairly regular basis, discussions and meetings to which we invite people from the business community and other institutions to take the pulse of the people.
In terms of transparency, we have always showed a great deal of it in our activities. We are very open and we publish on our websites all the decisions we make about projects. Under the new government, I think we are going to be even more transparent.
5:10 p.m.
NDP
Christine Moore NDP Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Are most of the assessment grids used to select the projects made public? Can the public find out what tools the officials are using?
5:10 p.m.
Vice-President, Finance and Corporate Services, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
The assessment grids used to evaluate the projects are not made public. That being said, we have an access to information system. On request, we release any information that is not protected under the Access to Information Act.
5:10 p.m.
NDP
Christine Moore NDP Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Are you talking about blank or completed grids? Are you talking about the assessment once it is completed or the criteria used for the assessment?
5:10 p.m.
Vice-President, Finance and Corporate Services, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
In terms of the assessment criteria, we are transparent. However, it can be difficult to share information about the detailed assessment of a project, because it always contains confidential information.
5:10 p.m.
NDP
Christine Moore NDP Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Okay. That's fine. I just wanted to clarify that I was talking about the assessment grid, not the actual assessments of the projects.
Thank you.
5:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Dan Ruimy
Excellent.
On that note, thank you very much to all the witnesses.
We are four minutes early, but we are going to suspend, and then in about five minutes, we'll reconvene in camera for 15 minutes.
Thank you very much.
[Proceedings continue in camera]