Science and Research Committee on Feb. 5th, 2026

[Nipun Vats]

Personally, I have never had a conversation with Brookfield, nor has my team, but I don't have all the details from the department.

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC]

Have you ever been contacted by Brookfield regarding the development of decisions on Canadian policy issues or science policies?

[Nipun Vats]

No.

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC]

Has the Minister of Industry been contacted by Brookfield or had meetings with the company regarding Canada's scientific issues or science policies?

[Nipun Vats]

I don't have—

[Mark Schaan]

Madam Chair, as I said, all interactions—

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC]

Mr. Schaan, the question is for Mr. Vats.

[Mark Schaan]

Yes, I know, but I'm the one who answers questions for the department, and the answer is that the department provided Parliament with all the details of the interactions between Brookfield and the department.

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC]

Madam Chair—

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Can I stop you there? One person speaks at a time.

If you are asking a question, allow the witness to answer.

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

My question was for Mr. Vats, and I got an answer from Mr. Schaan. With all due respect, he is not the right person, the person to whom my question was addressed. I would like the time I just lost to be added to my speaking time. Mr. Schaan is allowed to speak, but here, it is parliamentarians who ask the questions and witnesses who answer them.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Please go ahead.

[Nipun Vats]

I understand that, in response to a request, all the department's interactions with Brookfield and all the topics discussed during those interactions were provided to Parliament.

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC]

Can you confirm to committee members today that there were no discussions with Brookfield on the development of Canada's science policies?

[Nipun Vats]

Personally, I haven't seen the list, but Mr. Schaan has confirmed that there was no such interaction and that all the details of the interactions were on that list.

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC]

Neither you nor anyone in your department had any contact with Brookfield regarding science and innovation issues in Canada.

[Nipun Vats]

Again, my team and I have never spoken to Brookfield. I understand that a list detailing all the interactions has been provided to Parliament. If it is not written there that there were interactions on the development of our science policies, there were none.

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC]

Were you contacted by the company for questions or meeting requests?

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

I'm sorry for interrupting. Time is up for MP—

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC]

Madam Chair, with all due respect, I have some time left, given the time that was added to my speaking time as a result of Mr. Schaan's answer.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

We stopped the clock at that time. Now it's 12 seconds over.

Thank you.

We will now proceed to MP DeRidder for two minutes.

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC]

Madam Chair, I'm asking for information.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Go ahead, MP Blanchette-Joncas.

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC]

I calculated that I lost 17 seconds with Mr. Schaan.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

I stopped the clock at that time. I saw it. Your time is up.

I will proceed to MP DeRidder for two minutes. Then we will end the panel with two minutes for MP Deschênes-Thériault.