Public Accounts Committee on Dec. 18th, 2024

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

It's approximately a month away. Has that exercise not been completed yet?

[Chris Forbes]

In some ways it's evergreen. We're trying to figure out as we go exactly how this will impact us.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Have you forecast how many jobs would be lost or the impact on the labour market in Canada should a 25% tariff be implemented on January 20 by the American administration?

[Chris Forbes]

There are two parts to that question. We don't have final numbers that I could share. We're working with businesses, provinces and our own models to determine impacts.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

We're a month away from that, and no plan or economic analysis of that impact is completed yet.

[Chris Forbes]

I would say that economic analysis has been done.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Who's holding the pen on that analysis right now?

[Chris Forbes]

The main departments involved would be Global Affairs, the Department of Finance—

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Who's coordinating it?

[Chris Forbes]

It's a collaborative process.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Is there one person? Is there a project management office for this?

[Chris Forbes]

No, there's no project management office, but we have multiple departments—

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Okay, so some people are working on it off the corner of their desk. Would that be an accurate characterization?

[Chris Forbes]

No, I wouldn't characterize it that way.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Who's in charge of that? Is it you?

[Chris Forbes]

Officials report to cabinet. There's a cabinet committee on Canada-U.S. relations that is chaired—

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Who's on that cabinet committee right now?

[Chris Forbes]

Well, it's chaired by Minister LeBlanc. There are a number of other ministers there.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

It's the fresh cabinet minister as of yesterday. I get it.

I think it's pretty clear that we don't have an analysis done on that. That's wild. I really hope you guys get on that for the sake of this country.

Does your budgetary forecast for fiscal year 2024-25 include additional spending to meet Canada's 2% NATO commitment?

[Chris Forbes]

The fall economic statement has the investment line from the defence policy review that took place and was announced in budget 2024.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

I'm asking about the upcoming—

[Chris Forbes]

I'll finish the answer. There are no additional amounts for the commitment to get to 2%.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Has the government directed your department to conduct an economic impact analysis of the government's proposed industrial emissions cap?

[Chris Forbes]

Are you speaking about the oil and gas cap?

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

That's correct.