Transport Committee on Oct. 28th, 2010

[John Forster]

I just follow what the minister outlined as the government's position on the deadline at this stage.

[Daniel Watson]

I would add to that, if I may, that there are some projects that for some of the types of reasons I talked about a little earlier, you could give them 10 years extra and they still wouldn't get done. Those are the ones we're seeing drop off the list at this point in time, and it's in the single digits.

[Gurbax Malhi, Liberal, Bramalea—Gore—Malton, ON]

Thank you.

[Daniel Watson]

I don't mean single digits as a percentage; I mean single digit numbers of projects.

[Gurbax Malhi, Liberal, Bramalea—Gore—Malton, ON]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Two and a half....

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

Mr. Chair, thanks very much.

And thank you to our witnesses.

May I ask a question on communications and dissemination of information? Does Western Economic Diversification operate under any internal guidelines or externally mandated guidelines as to who you can speak to about a project?

[Daniel Watson]

Well, there's the Government of Canada general communications policy from Treasury Board and so on.

In terms of talking to people about projects, we talk to the proponents all the time. It's just a part of our business. There are well-established policies about who can talk to media and so on about individual projects. But generally we don't do that, and that's simply because the people who run the projects are the people who talk about them. So if the municipality of XYZ has put forward a proposal and they're talking about it, generally they're the ones who do all the communication about that.

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

So staff are under absolutely no restriction whatsoever in speaking directly to members of Parliament about a project?

[Daniel Watson]

Well, no. There are some very clear guidelines on how public servants interact with elected officials, and we follow those. So it's not the case that every public servant can say whatever they want to every elected official, no. There are some very clear rules about that, and those responsibilities--

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

Would you be able to outline some of those rules? Say, for example, a member from a riding in British Columbia were to make an inquiry to staff about the status of a project. Would you convey information to that member of Parliament?

[Daniel Watson]

One of the absolute principles, when a public servant talks to a member of Parliament rather than the minister, is that it needs to be information that we would share with any parliamentarian. So if we were prepared to do a briefing on the arrival of the RInC program or the CAF program, for example, it would be something we would do for any parliamentarian.

The materials we sent out at the time of CAF and RInC coming along were ones that were available to all MPs, period--at least all MPs in western Canada. I suppose if any others had wanted to know what WD was doing, we would have been--

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

So what you're saying is that it's not the policy of Western Economic Diversification--there is no instruction--to refer communications from an opposition member of Parliament to the minister's office, as opposed to answering his questions directly. Am I hearing that correctly?

[Daniel Watson]

Put the other way around, all communications from members of Parliament need to go to the minister's office, and then the minister directs--

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

Just a second. We just heard testimony--

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

I have to--

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

--a few minutes ago that there was direct communication--

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

We're past the time.

Monsieur Carrier, you have one minute.

[Robert Carrier, Bloc, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Good afternoon, gentlemen. I have not sat on the Standing Committee on Transport for a long time. I would just like to ask one question—perhaps it has already been asked—concerning the extension of the infrastructure project deadline from the technical or accounting perspective.

Since the money has already been budgeted for and given the fact that the current projects, because of the March 31 deadline, would cost much more in extra time and operating costs, would it be possible to extend the deadline, in everyone's interest? I know that there may have been an answer earlier on, from the department. Technically speaking, is there any possibility, any opening on that front?

[Daniel Watson]

I have never in my life seen a project that took more time and cost less. I'm therefore not convinced that paying for a longer time would decrease the costs. The people, particularly in the RInC program, who have the greatest interest in minimizing costs are generally those who are paying two thirds of the bill. In general, we pay one third of the total costs and the other partners pay two thirds. I can guarantee you that it is even more in their interest to decrease the costs. That is the context within which they are working at this time.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Thank you.

With that, I'll thank our guests.

On a personal note, I, too, want to echo my thanks to Western Diversification. We've had tremendous cooperation in our area, and I know that my municipalities have been very pleased with the cooperation we've received.

Mr. Jean, on a point of order.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

I have a point of order and clarification.

Mr. Byrne had a question that he wanted answered, and I would like it answered as well, if we could. I think it has some relevance in relation to this committee and what our study is on. If he wants to ask that question, I think it's relevant and I think it should be answered.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

If we can put the question very succinctly and very briefly....

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

I think I did, Mr. Chair, but I'll ask it again.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

I'll give you the time, sure.