Public Accounts Committee on Nov. 25th, 2024

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

There have been several conflicts of interest in the organization. Have you received additional payments from a company or anywhere else after a decision to approve funding was made?

[Zoë Kolbuc]

Never, no.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Right.

Mr. Chair, I am going to use the rest of my speaking time to move the following motion.

Given that, The committee has held 15 meetings on its study of Report 6, Sustainable Development Technology Canada, totalling over 46 hours with 33 witnesses; The Auditor General of Canada and the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner have both conducted investigations and issued reports on the matter; Two internal investigations from Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton and McCarthy Tétrault have been conducted and completed; That, notwithstanding any previous decision of the committee, a. The committee agrees to conduct one more meeting, November 27, 2024, on Report 6, Sustainable Development Technology Canada to hear from remaining witnesses; b. that priority be given to the witnesses named in the motion adopted unanimously November 4, 2024; At the conclusion of witness testimony conducted during the meeting on November 27, 2024, the committee provide drafting instructions to the analysts on the final report of the study; and d. That no more meetings be conducted on Report 6, Sustainable Development Technology Canada.

Mr. Chair, before you ask, I would inform you that the motion has been sent to you.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

Has the clerk received your motion in both official languages?

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

It was sent just now.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

Fine.

Pardon me, Mr. Drouin. Are you moving this motion?

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Yes.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

All right. I'm going to just have the clerk....

Hold on. I have a list here.

Ms. Yip, you're at the top. I also have Mr. Nater, Mr. Cooper and Mr. Perkins.

I'm going to have the clerk—

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

Add me, as well, Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

Very good.

I'm going to suspend for just a minute or two.

Ms. Kolbuc, hang tight. If you want to stretch your legs or get up, you can. We're going to be a couple of minutes here. I usually take the temperature of the room to see how long this is going to last, but for now, if you want to get up for a couple of minutes, that's no problem.

[Zoë Kolbuc]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

Don't disappear too far because I might come back to you in about five minutes.

[Zoë Kolbuc]

I'll be here.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

This meeting is suspended until I come back.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

I call this meeting back into order.

You have all received Mr. Drouin's motion in both official languages.

Mr. Drouin, before I turn the floor back to you, would it be helpful for me to tell you and the floor what I have lined up for Wednesday already and how it aligns with your motion, or would you like to take the floor? You have the floor either way.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Sure. You can inform the members.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

I will inform and bring the members up to speed.

First, Mr. Drouin's motion is certainly in order. With regard to the witnesses referenced in the motion, we've heard from one already. I have scheduled Mr. Andrew Noseworthy and Mr. Douglas McConnachie for Wednesday. The fourth witness, Leah Lawrence, is not available at all. We're not able to secure contact information for her.

[The Clerk of the Committee, Ms. Hilary Smyth]

No, we have contacted her.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

That's right. Pardon me. Thank you for that.

We have contacted her. She is studying in the United States and has declined our invitation to appear. I was going to bring this up at the subcommittee meeting that we'll have next week, but you now have it before you.

With that, Mr. Drouin, you have the floor.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Thanks so much, Chair.

The goal of this motion, just quickly, is that next week, as you've highlighted, we have other Auditor General reports that are coming down the pipe. I think this committee has done a tremendous job, but we also need time for this committee to make recommendations back to the House. I know you won't get to table that, if we continue on, before springtime, understanding that there are other Auditor General reports that will be important for us to look at.

That's where I will stop with my rationale for the motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

Thank you.

I have a list of members. I'll just read it off, because I think it will probably occupy a good chunk of time. I have Ms. Yip, Mr. Nater, Mr. Cooper, Mr. Perkins, Ms. Khalid and Madame Sinclair-Desgagné.

Ms. Yip, you have the floor.

[Jean Yip, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

I move that the committee now move in camera.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

Okay.

[John Nater, Conservative, Perth—Wellington, ON]

What a cover-up, Jean.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

Order.

I will call the vote on the motion to move our committee in camera.

(Motion agreed to: yeas 6; nays 4)

Ms. Kolbuc, you are excused. Thank you very much for your time. I understand that you will return to us in writing with regard to some questions. You can work with the clerk on that. Again, you are excused. Thank you very much.

I will now suspend this meeting. We'll come back, for the members in question, to an in camera meeting.

This meeting is suspended.

[Proceedings continue in camera]