Public Accounts Committee on Feb. 21st, 2019

Evidence of meeting #128 for Public Accounts in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was areas.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Report 1, Connectivity in Rural and Remote Areas, of the 2018 Fall Reports of the Auditor General of Canada

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Jerome Berthelette Assistant Auditor General, Performance Audit, Office of the Auditor General

John Knubley Deputy Minister, Department of Industry

Ian Scott Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

Philippe Le Goff Principal, Office of the Auditor General

René Arseneault Madawaska—Restigouche, Lib.

Lisa Setlakwe Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategy and Innovation Policy Sector, Department of Industry

Pat Kelly Calgary Rocky Ridge, CPC

Randeep Sarai Surrey Centre, Lib.

Christopher Seidl Executive Director, Telecommunications, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

Michelle Gravelle Director General, Science and Research Sector, Department of Industry

10:40 a.m.

Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategy and Innovation Policy Sector, Department of Industry

Lisa Setlakwe

What I would say, just on the spectrum auctions, is that the 600 megahertz spectrum auction has deployment conditions. We consult on all of these before we go out. Basically, we understand the issue of the spectrum being acquired and not being implemented or used, so we are requiring deployment conditions. We hear the same things, and we are putting measures in place at the opportunities that we have to get past this.

10:40 a.m.

Deputy Minister, Department of Industry

John Knubley

Again, trying to be concrete, when we did the 600 megahertz spectrum auction, part of the information that we've received from these consultations leads us to decide to do a 40 megahertz set-aside.

So, it is ongoing, but we actually use the information in the application of our policies to licensing and to spectrum.

10:40 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson

All right. Thank you.

Mr. Scott, there was a time when Mr. Christopherson was giving a speech—or, not a speech but—

10:40 a.m.

NDP

David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON

It probably was.

10:40 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson

Yes, it was a speech.

I recognized you and then I went on quickly. I don't know if you even remember what point it was at that time, but I feel you had kind of made a motion to me that you wanted to speak and I missed you.

10:40 a.m.

Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

Ian Scott

I don't think so. I think it was when Mr. Arseneault raised the question, and I only began my response. But I think I perhaps gave him an answer in response to another question. If not, I'd be happy to speak to him after the meeting.

10:40 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson

It came up afterwards. All right. Thank you for that, and I apologize if I cut you off.

In the course of your leaving here and making your way back to your offices, you might think you didn't get enough time to answer a question broadly enough. Maybe you will think there's more information we could use in this study and that you wish you had disclosed it to us at the time but didn't have time to do. Please submit anything to us as quickly as you can. If you said something you want to enlarge on, please do that. We'll take it on the record and use it as part of our study.

We thank you very much for working on a very difficult file. As I've stated already, when governments want to see improvements in the welfare of many Canadians, and the answer lies on the table that you sit behind, we all hope great success for you. So all the best in delivery.

Thank you for coming.

With that, the meeting is adjourned.