Evidence of meeting #36 for Science and Research in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was procurement.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
To clarify, they were not included. I read the motion as it was adopted by this committee. These ministers were part of the witness list that was submitted to the clerk. We invited them, and I have given the responses that were received.
MP Baldinelli, go ahead.
Conservative
Tony Baldinelli Conservative Niagara Falls—Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON
To my colleague's point, yes, they weren't specifically mentioned, but in the study, we do mention federal departments. Ministers of the Crown are, by right, the heads of those federal departments. Given the simple fact that the government is going to increase its defence spending, over the next five years, to almost $82 billion, with about $6.6 billion of that over five years for a defence industrial strategy, we thought it was incumbent, as part of this study, to invite ministers of the Crown with regard to the specific portfolios and federal departments that we indicated.
I was simply asking for clarification on the status of those invitations asking the ministers to come forward to speak to what I would think would be a relevant study.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
Thank you for the comments.
We have witnesses, and we should be mindful of the time our witnesses have taken to contribute to the study.
Invitations were sent, and of course we give them two days, but we should all understand that the ministers are busy. If a minister already has an appearance before another committee, it is very difficult to reschedule things. We can check once again and see what the status is.
I would request that we proceed to the rounds of questions. I think we've had enough discussion on this. We have witnesses, and we should proceed to the rounds of questioning.
Conservative
Vincent Ho Conservative Richmond Hill South, ON
I have one final comment on this subject matter. We requested a number of ministers. To be clear, is not a single one available? I mean, this study, with two break weeks and all that.... Is not a single one available with a month's notice?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
I have given clarification. I really cannot comment on why they were not available.
We should proceed. I think we've had enough discussion on that. We should start our rounds of questioning.
MP Blanchette-Joncas, go ahead.
Bloc
Maxime Blanchette-Joncas Bloc Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Would it be possible, when you speak with members, not to speak over them? I understand that you want to move the meeting along, but it's difficult for the interpreters. We couldn't get interpretation.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
Thank you.
We will now proceed with the rounds of questioning. I think we've had enough discussion.
MP Ho, go ahead for six minutes.
Conservative
Vincent Ho Conservative Richmond Hill South, ON
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you to the witnesses who are here today.
We're here at this committee, and we have this study today on the Liberal defence industrial strategy. This is a Liberal study, by the way. It was commenced by a Liberal member, and it's very unfortunate that we can't get a single Liberal minister here. I understand that there are scheduling conflicts, but with well over a month's notice, we'd expect maybe one Liberal minister or high-priced Liberal bureaucrat to show up. Apparently, all of them—
Liberal
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
There is a point of order. We will stop the clock.
Go ahead, MP Noormohamed.
Liberal
Taleeb Noormohamed Liberal Vancouver Granville, BC
I think it's really important that if we're going to have conversations in this committee, we don't brand non-partisan public servants as “Liberal bureaucrats”. We are now crossing a ton of lines.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
Please, MP Ho, you should be mindful of our bureaucrats.
You may go ahead.
Conservative
Vincent Ho Conservative Richmond Hill South, ON
Well, if they're friends of the Liberal Prime Minister and they've known each other for a long time, I'd say they're Liberal bureaucrats. If they're former Liberal staffers, then I think it's a fair characterization.
This committee is supposed to be holding the government to account to investigate and produce documents, but what we get are witnesses who are Liberal insiders; corporate lobbyists; sometimes registered lobbyists who are really representing their own special interests; special interest groups; or former Liberal staffers. They're just cheerleaders for the government.
We want some criticism of the government. I understand that we're not here to always criticize the government. We're here to work with the government if the government wants our advice, but they're just singing its praises most of the time. Sometimes we have organizations at this committee that are receiving millions or tens of millions every year. I think their opinions might be a little biased, because their very existence is dependent on....
We have an organization here today on this panel that has received millions of dollars every year since the Liberal government took power in 2015. I don't know if their testimony is going to be a little biased toward the government. I can't help but notice that they're going to be singing the praises of the Liberal government, because, again, their existence is dependent on multi-million-dollar consulting contracts—
Liberal
Liberal
Taleeb Noormohamed Liberal Vancouver Granville, BC
The member opposite stated or implied inaccurate—
Liberal
Taleeb Noormohamed Liberal Vancouver Granville, BC
Madam Chair, if we're going to talk about the mandate of the committee, I'll note there was an implied comment there. There was a very clear assertion of what this committee does. In fact, the mandate of this committee is absolutely not what the member opposite has said.
We need to be very clear when we are referring to matters of content with respect to the specific nature and mandate of the committee. They should actually be clear, not misleading, so that when we are posing questions and doing studies, they are, in fact, within the scope of the committee.
Liberal
Conservative
Conservative
Vincent Ho Conservative Richmond Hill South, ON
This is a democratic body. MPs are democratically elected. This is a committee of Parliament, so it's a democratic body. It seems that the facts are too inconvenient for the Liberal member.
I've been interrupted multiple times in my six-minute round. It's an unprecedented number of interruptions.
What I will do right now is spend the rest of my time moving my motion, the motion that was put on notice on May 5. I'd like to speak to the motion as well.
You don't know which motion I'm referring to. I'd like to speak to the motion. Is that a point of order?
I'd like to distribute copies of the motion. Would that be okay?