Transport Committee on Oct. 28th, 2010

Evidence of meeting #30 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was projects.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Impact of the government's deadline of March 31, 2011, for infrastructure stimulus projects, and December 31, 2010, for the completion of projects under the Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program (RinC) and the Water and Wastewater Pipeline Renewal Program (PRECO)

Briefing on the Vision and Priorities of the Minister for the Transport, Infrastructure and Communities (TIC) Portfolio

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Yaprak Baltacioglu Deputy Minister, Department of Transport

John Forster Associate Deputy Minister, Infrastructure Canada

Daniel Watson Deputy Minister, Western Economic Diversification Canada

Bryce Conrad Assistant Deputy Minister, Programs Operation Branch, Infrastructure Canada

1 p.m.

Liberal

Gerry Byrne Liberal Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL

We did hear some inferences during the committee testimony from members from the government that they interacted directly with Western Economic Diversification officials at the local and provincial levels, the regional offices levels, and that the communication was two-way, flowing freely, and that it was very helpful. Are you under any specific instruction to raise an issue to the minister's office exclusively if a member of Parliament calls? Is there any differentiation between whether it's a member of the governing party or a member of the opposition parties as to how you will respond to those questions?

1 p.m.

Deputy Minister, Western Economic Diversification Canada

Daniel Watson

It's an excellent and very important question that I take extraordinarily seriously as a deputy minister. Any MP who asks for any information needs to go through my minister's office. That's an absolute principle, and that's what's happened in these cases where we've been working on projects; that's the way the information flows. So the contact goes to the minister's office. We provide the information to the minister's office. I will say, when we attend announcements and so on with members of Parliament, we obviously talk to them at that point in time when we're at the events, but there is not, by any stretch of the imagination, a regular flow of information between MPs and public servants on a regular basis. It needs to go through, following some very clear principles, the minister's office.

1 p.m.

Liberal

Gerry Byrne Liberal Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL

I don't think that's what the testimony captured, Mr. Watson.

1 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed

I have to end it there, and I'll thank all the committee members today, and our guests for being here--

1 p.m.

Liberal

Gerry Byrne Liberal Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL

Words were exchanged between offices of the Western Economic Diversification--

1 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed

Can I have that microphone turned off, please?

I want to thank you for being here.

Committee members, we're going to meet on Tuesday to review Bill C-20. I've reserved the last 15 minutes for a subcommittee meeting so we can plan the future schedule of the committee. Okay?

The meeting is adjourned.