Industry Committee on Jan. 30th, 2023

[Samantha Hazen, Chief Financial Officer, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Royal Canadian Mounted Police]

Whether a supplier is ineligible to do business with the Government of Canada is determined by PSPC through its integrity regime. In this case, PSPC determined that there were no ethical concerns with awarding Sinclair Technologies the standing offer.

[Brad Vis, Conservative, Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC]

You were aware of the 21 charges against said company when the contract was awarded.

[Samantha Hazen]

That's not what I said in my response. We did—

[Brad Vis, Conservative, Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC]

Can you answer my question then?

[Samantha Hazen]

I personally was not aware.

[Brad Vis, Conservative, Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC]

Okay.

With my remaining time, Mr. Chair, I appreciate the candour today from all the witnesses in providing these responses. All of our instincts here today are to get to the bottom of how contracts are awarded to ensure the integrity of our system.

I'm going to move a motion. I move:

That all papers related to the contract awarded to Sinclair Technologies from the RCMP and the Minister of Public Safety be provided to members of the Standing Committee on Industry and Technology for further review and scrutiny.

I'll provide that via email right away. The purpose of asking for papers related to the discussion here today and what the minister referred to, which was his instructions to the RCMP, is that the Investment Canada Act is up for review by Parliament and it's integral that this committee, and other committees, to get to the bottom of how contracts are awarded, to ensure national security is upheld at the highest standard at all times.

[The Chair, Liberal, Joël Lightbound]

We have a motion on the floor by Mr. Vis.

I see Mr. Dong.

[Han Dong, Liberal, Don Valley North, ON]

Thanks, Chair.

I respect Mr. Vis's right to move motions. Can we suspend the meeting until we see the motion in writing, so we can talk amongst ourselves?

[The Chair, Liberal, Joël Lightbound]

Mr. Vis, do you have the motion in writing? You just sent it. Okay. The clerk will distribute it.

I suggest we suspend for three to four minutes, so you can read it and make up your minds.

[The Chair, Liberal, Joël Lightbound]

We are resuming the meeting. I am sorry for the brief interruption.

Mr. Vis proposed a motion to the committee, and I think everyone has had a chance to read it. It is relatively short.

Before we vote on this motion, I invite members who wish to raise points to do so.

I note that no one wishes to speak, which is rare. We gladly accept that, and 2023 is off to a great start.

Mr. Clerk, we will be able to proceed to a vote on the motion.

[Andy Fillmore, Liberal, Halifax, NS]

Excuse me. Could you repeat the question, please?

[The Chair, Liberal, Joël Lightbound]

Yes. We're voting on the motion, Mr. Fillmore.

(Motion agreed to: yeas 7; nays 4 [See Minutes of Proceedings])

Thank you.

The motion is adopted.

Mr. Vis, I think you had reached the end of your time. I checked, and you had five seconds left.

Minister, I believe you have to leave at 4:30 p.m. So that would leave about five minutes for the committee to ask you questions.

Mr. Gaheer, you are next on the list and have the floor for five minutes.

[Iqwinder Gaheer, Liberal, Mississauga—Malton, ON]

Thank you, Chair. Through you, thank you to the minister for making time for this committee.

Minister, Sinclair Technologies was granted a contract for roughly $550,000 for a radio frequency filtering system. Does a radio frequency filtration system pose any security concerns and does it allow access to radio communications at all?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

It did not pose any security concerns at the time of procurement and, following the review that was conducted by the RCMP, that continues to be the case.

I would also just clarify. You stated a numerical amount around the contract. It is important for members of the committee to understand the distinction between a contract and a standing offer against which the total allowable monies are drawn down. In the particular current standing offer, there were three instances where there was a drawdown of an amount of approximately $55,000 or thereabouts.

I just want to make sure it's clear that the full contract amount was not paid out, but rather, in those three installations under the current standing offer, the amounts were limited to $55,000 or thereabouts.

[Iqwinder Gaheer, Liberal, Mississauga—Malton, ON]

Thank you.

Can you share with the committee whether Canada's national security was under threat at any time during the process of this contract?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

I'm confident, on the basis of the review that was conducted by the RCMP, that the answer to the question in this matter is no, but that having been said, I do embrace the study.

I embrace the questions that have been posed by members of this committee, because it is important that we are exhausting every possible effort with due diligence and rigorous screening when it comes to the procurement of equipment, of technology and of services that are acquired in support of our critical infrastructure and that are there to make sure we can keep Canadians safe.

It is, I would add, a very complex geopolitical environment. There are hostile actors who would seek to undermine the Canadian interests, and those hostile actors do look for vectors, for entry points into which they can exploit their interests through foreign interference, but I'm confident that we have protocols in place and procedures in place.

Certainly, when it comes to the procurement of the equipment here, there were no breaches of security, as you've heard the RCMP indicate.

[Iqwinder Gaheer, Liberal, Mississauga—Malton, ON]

Thank you.

Was the contract awarded in accordance with federal government procurement policies and regulations, and in accordance with trade agreements?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Yes, it was, in addition to the diligence that was carried out by the RCMP. I would also highlight for the members of the committee that we work in close partnership with PSPC, who are principally responsible for procurement and contracts across government.

That work is done in close collaboration, and I would call to the committee's attention in your study that we do have the necessary mechanisms in place for screening as it relates to national security and that those steps and those protocols are followed assiduously so that we can be sure that the things we acquire in no way pose any threat to our critical infrastructure or to our public safety apparatus.

[Iqwinder Gaheer, Liberal, Mississauga—Malton, ON]

Great. Thank you so much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Joël Lightbound]

Mr. Lemire, the floor is yours.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Minister, in the interest of fairness, since the NDP and the Bloc Québécois have two and a half minutes left to speak, could you stay with us for another five minutes to complete the round of questions?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

After checking my other appointments with my team members, I'm going to use my discretion and stay an extra five minutes.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Joël Lightbound]

Mr. Lemire, you have the floor for two and a half minutes.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

In August 2022, Member of Parliament Pam Damoff, your parliamentary secretary, met with representatives of Motorola to discuss law enforcement and legal issues.

I would be surprised if this meeting had nothing to do with Hytera and I would be even more surprised if the U.S. decision and national security concerns were not discussed.

Did Motorola express any concerns about Hytera's use of its technology or security threats?