Evidence of meeting #92 for International Trade in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chains.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Head, National Supply Chain Office, Department of Transport
That's over five years. That's correct.
Conservative
Matt Jeneroux Conservative Edmonton Riverbend, AB
Right.
Getting back to the timeline, this was established as part of the task force report in October 2022. It took 15 months, and I guess in government years, that's technically 12 months.
It took 15 months to get this off the ground, even though the deputy minister at one point did say June. He must have misspoken. It took until December to get this off the ground. Doing my math, you now have eight months to complete the supply chain and data strategy and initiate regulatory and legislative reform by October. Are you going to complete that by October?
Head, National Supply Chain Office, Department of Transport
First, I'd say, we launched the office. Minister Rodriguez launched the office on December 1. I was hired somewhat before that. We have been going through hiring, recruitment and a lot of engagement and consultation with industry.
Conservative
Matt Jeneroux Conservative Edmonton Riverbend, AB
Is October doable? Are you going to be able to do that and get the legislative reform and the strategy done? Call me a bit skeptical, but I'm just trying to hear your words.
Head, National Supply Chain Office, Department of Transport
We are engaged right now with industry on the strategy. We've had our consultation, and engagement and working groups launched in—
Conservative
Conservative
Matt Jeneroux Conservative Edmonton Riverbend, AB
Is that a yes? If it's a yes, then say yes. I'd be happy to invite you back for October.
Head, National Supply Chain Office, Department of Transport
We would like to.... We're going to aim to get the strategy out by then. What we would like to do is make sure that the strategy reflects the needs of Canadian businesses.
Conservative
Matt Jeneroux Conservative Edmonton Riverbend, AB
That's great. All I'm doing is just keeping you accountable.
Conservative
Matt Jeneroux Conservative Edmonton Riverbend, AB
One of the biggest supply chain issues we saw in the last 24 or 12 months was Tylenol for kids. It took the then health minister getting involved, and he was the one, in his words, saving the day on that. Would something like that fall under your office in the future? Are you the hero for kids' Tylenol in the future?
Head, National Supply Chain Office, Department of Transport
The focus of the supply chain office really is on the transportation and logistics system. Other parts of the government will focus on the individual value chains, be that agriculture or agri-food, and be responsible in them. To the extent that there is the intersection with the transportation and logistics component specifically, we would of course help and be welcoming in terms of being used as a platform by other government departments to help convene or facilitate discussions if that were the problem.
Conservative
Matt Jeneroux Conservative Edmonton Riverbend, AB
That will all be in your strategy that we will see before the committee in probably October, correct?
Head, National Supply Chain Office, Department of Transport
I won't comment on what's going to be in the strategy, but you will see the strategy.
Conservative
Matt Jeneroux Conservative Edmonton Riverbend, AB
All right, that's fair.
I want to use the last minute to talk to Mr. Stacey from Transport Canada.
As part of the October 2022 task force report, there was an immediate suggestion to waive 50% of airport rent payments. Has that been done?
Colin Stacey Director General, Air Policy, Department of Transport
The supply chain office is not directly responsible for airport rents, so I can't speak specifically to it. What I can say is that there were a number of assistances offered to airports during the COVID period and since then—
Conservative
Matt Jeneroux Conservative Edmonton Riverbend, AB
Yes, but this was 2022, and that's past COVID. It sounds like that's a no. It hasn't been waived?
Conservative
Matt Jeneroux Conservative Edmonton Riverbend, AB
It was suggested as immediate, with October 2022 being immediate. Now we're in 2024 and it still hasn't been waived.
Director General, Air Policy, Department of Transport
No, but I would note that the supply chain task force did put forward a number of different recommendations. Clearly we're focusing on moving forward with those. We are prioritizing different recommendations and moving forward on those, but they are recommendations. We are examining that one and we use that report as a guidance, but it is not a specific list of things that absolutely must be—
Conservative
Matt Jeneroux Conservative Edmonton Riverbend, AB
To sum up your comments, you're choosing which ones work for you and which ones don't, basically.
Director General, Air Policy, Department of Transport
The report provides guidance for the work we're doing.