Public Accounts Committee on Oct. 5th, 2023

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

Yes, he does.

[Jake Stewart, Conservative, Miramichi—Grand Lake, NB]

—to ask important questions on behalf of Canadians. The bureaucracy, and anyone else coming in to this committee, needs to answer questions. They don't get to talk to us like that.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

Fair enough. That's not quite a point of order, but that is my opinion as well, generally.

I do want to hear from Ms. Khalid as well, please.

You have the floor for a point of order.

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

Thanks, Chair.

I would anticipate and expect, when we invite witnesses to come before our committee to answer our questions, that we treat them with respect, that we allow them the opportunity to answer the questions they need to answer and that we don't badger them.

I have full respect for that member, for his constituency and for the Canadians for whom he speaks just as much as I have respect for the amazing work that our bureaucrats do. I would like to hear the answers they have to the questions that this member has posed.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

As would I. I find myself agreeing with both members on their interventions. They're not quite points of order.

This, of course, is an issue that affects all of us and our constituents. These are not just academic questions that we're looking at.

The member's time is the member's time. I prefer they not cut off witnesses and allow witnesses to answer. Having said that, if they find that witnesses are being less than forthcoming, they are welcome to push back but to do so respectfully.

Mr. Mazier, I'm going to turn it back to you. You have the floor for about four minutes and 20 seconds now.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you for the interventions.

I guess what I was trying to get at, Mr. Kennedy, is that there are people literally dying on highways that are not connected. I was up in the Yukon, and I heard stories about predators staying in the areas where they knew there was no cellphone coverage. There was nothing there. There was a young woman being preyed on at that time. We heard that over and over again when I was up in the Yukon.

It goes on in various areas. That is why there is a certain level of urgency. That's why it's so important that the department and this government understand the urgency of this. That's all I'm trying to get at.

I will go on with my next question.

Mr. Kennedy, the Auditor General mentioned spectrum deployment requirements in her report. Deployment requirements determine how many people living in a specific area must be covered by a spectrum licence within a period of time. Is that correct?

[Simon Kennedy]

Yes.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

I have a report here, a graph. It shows here that Victoria, B.C., is going to be 50% connected in 10 years whereas as Gander and Grand Falls-Windsor in Newfoundland are going to be 10% connected in 10 years. There's the divide.

Why has the government signed off on significantly slower deployment requirements for rural regions over urban regions in their upcoming spectrum auction?

[Simon Kennedy]

My suggestion would be to come back with a detailed response in writing, just because I am a bit worried about eating up too much of the time.

What I will say very briefly is that we have had progressively stricter spectrum deployment conditions in each auction. There are many different spectrum licences that have been auctioned at different times and in different places. The conditions we have now are quite aggressive.

I'm happy to come back with a more detailed accounting of that.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

Has this been updated?

[Simon Kennedy]

I'm not sure. I apologize.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

It's 10 years and 10% of the population. If you can provide any updates on this....

[Simon Kennedy]

I would be very happy to come back. As I say, I think we have a very aggressive “use it or lose it” policy.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

Thank you very much. We appreciate that.

Mr. Mazier, we'll go back to you.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

Ms. Eatrides, the CRTC originally estimated that it would take 10 months to make an initial funding decision through their broadband fund.

How many applications were initially approved within these 10 months?

[Vicky Eatrides]

Again, we can come back with detailed numbers on this.

What I would say is that, for call one, it took us 10 and a half months from the close of the call to when we made our decisions. We are speeding things up. We are triaging. We are collaborating closely with partners. We are acting more quickly. Now we are down to six months. It's continuous improvement. We will continue to do better, and the numbers are getting better.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

If that could be reported back to the committee, that would be much appreciated as well.

Do I still have time?

[The Chair, Conservative, John Williamson]

Yes, you do. You have over a minute.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

Mr. Kennedy, the government's universal broadband fund included funding for mobile Internet projects. Is this correct?

[Simon Kennedy]

Yes, it is. It's $50 million.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

How many projects specifically for mobile connectivity have been completed?

[Simon Kennedy]

I'll turn to my colleague Mr. Dagenais.

[Éric Dagenais]

I'd have to get back—

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

This is under the $3.2-billion universal broadband fund.

[Éric Dagenais]

Yes, I would have to get back to you. I know the funding has been allocated. I'd have to get back to the committee in terms of the completion. I know, for instance, that one project in British Columbia, the Highway of Tears, was funded in collaboration with the provincial government and one of the ISPs to provide cell service to Highway 16 in British Columbia.