Public Accounts Committee on June 16th, 2022

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

In that case, I can now ask the witnesses questions, right, Mr. Chair?

In fact, I thank you for allowing me to present my motions.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

Yes, you have two minutes left to ask the witnesses questions.

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Okay.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

Let me explain this.

The clerk informed me that when you table the motion, the clock is stopped, which I did when he read the motion. Then I started the clock again when he explained it. It's his time and he now has two minutes to ask questions.

Mr. Dong.

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

I just have a brief comment to make on this.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

On a point of order, this is not a debate time.

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

I'm sorry. It's a point of order.

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Here we go with the points of order.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

The UC has been rejected, so we're not going to debate this now.

I will hear points of order—

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

I'm not debating. I have a point of order.

I was under the impression that when the honourable Bloc member was going through his motion he was using his time, because I raised a point of order that, out of respect for the witnesses, we should focus on today's study. I let him finish without interrupting him. Now that he has had the clock start again, I just want to say that I find it a little inappropriate to do this and that this is a less partisan committee, if you will, of the Parliament, and I just want to be heard.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

As do I.

Just one second, please.

Mr. Dong, I too found it a bit unusual.

I was instructed by the clerk that the way to proceed is that when the motion is read—just the motion—I pause the clock. The moment the member began to explain his motion I restarted the clock. That chewed up four minutes. He has two minutes remaining.

He can therefore use these two minutes to ask the witnesses questions.

My view has always been the the time members have is their time. They can speak to whatever they like. While I see your point that by presenting the motion the member was granted that extra time, the second he was done his motion I started the clock again as he explained it.

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

My Liberal colleague has just told me that ensuring the sound use of taxpayers' money is partisan. We do not all agree on that.

My question is for the representative of the Privy Council Office.

On July 23, 2020, you launched a thorough, independent and impartial review of concerns raised by former and current employees of the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General.

Do you intend to do the same thing by launching a review of the Governor General's control of expenditures this time around?

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

To which witness is your question directed, Mr. Therrien?

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

To the representative of the Privy Council Office.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

That's a question for you, Ms. Goldmann, if you could.

Ms. Goldmann, can you hear us?

[Laurie Goldmann, Director of Operations, Privy Council Office]

My apologies, Mr. Chair. I could not hear you. I heard the question. I did not realize it was addressed to me.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

You heard the question, so we'll go over to you, please.

[Laurie Goldmann]

I did hear the question.

This is not pertinent to the study today, so it is not something I will respond to. It's certainly something we can take under advisement and respond to in writing.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

Thank you.

Mr. Therrien, you can continue.

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

What I understand is that the door is open. That's nice to hear.

Infrastructure Canada's spending is close to $200 billion. Anyone who has ever tried to understand what these expenses are related to or what provinces the money is allocated to knows that it is a real mess, an indescribable mess. It is hard to understand why there are delays, whether targets are being met and how to track spending.

In her last report, the Auditor General talked about the obvious lack of transparency in this institution.

My question is for the representatives of Infrastructure Canada.

Were you surprised when the Auditor General told you that, when you spend about $200 billion a year, you have a duty of transparency? We are in a democracy. Did you suspect that your way of working lacked transparency?

That is the first question.

The second question—

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

Mr. Therrien, you will have to wait until the next round of questions to hear the answer to your question, because your time is up.

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Can I use my time for the next round right away?

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

I've been very generous. You asked your question and, in the next round, you can ask for an answer.

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

That's fine, thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

Thank you very much.

I'm turning now to Mr. Desjarlais.

You have the floor for six minutes, please.