Transport Committee on Nov. 1st, 2016

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

You can have a short question.

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Central Nova, NS]

You mentioned something during your remarks about how adding this requirement can speed up the approvals process. Could you very quickly explain why that's the case?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

I say that because you have the contractor reaching out to the contractors who are bidding for the project and reaching out to the community and involving them in the identification of community benefits, so the community feels buy-in.

Second, when you have these community benefits embedded in the project and the community sees that this is the way things are going to go, it's much less likely to oppose the project. That obviously speeds up the approval process because you have no community opposition. Community opposition is one of the things that delay and create obstacles to these projects.

If this process creates community buy-in, then not only would you not have delays but you would actually speed up the approval process.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Thank you very much.

Ms. Block.

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

I have three questions that go in all different directions. First, it's my understanding that Bill C-227 is an act to amend the Department of Public Works and Government Services Act. Why are we, the transportation and infrastructure and communities committee, hearing from the proponent of this bill on this particular act? Why has it not been referred to the government operations and estimates committee?

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

My understanding is that it's specific to Public Works.

Mr. Hussen, do you have any comment on that? My understanding is this is a bill specifically for Public Works, not for anywhere else.

If anyone else wants to comment, they can, but this is exactly my understanding.

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

So it's specifically for Public Works.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Yes. It's not for Infrastructure or anything else.

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

We have government operations and estimates, which works with the Minister of Public Works and Government Services. What was the process through which you decided that this bill should come to this committee when it's a Public Works bill?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

The House refers the bill to a committee, so it decided it would come here even if it's only for building infrastructure touching only Public Works.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

It's the proponent of the bill who, after discussion, directs it here, but it's the House that directs it here to our committee.

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

Okay. Well, it seems misplaced, in my opinion, to be in front of this committee when it's about Public Works specifically.

Given that, I have a question based on some of the testimony you have given. Your bill states that each individual community decides what its community benefit is. I'm wondering who in the community you envision being the one to speak to the benefits it will receive from any given project.

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Ordinary members of the community will speak for the community.

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

What are the mechanisms that ordinary members of the community will have? How will they be able to provide to the federal government what they believe a community benefit to be and who will put all of that information together in order to provide a succinct recommendation to the Minister of Public Works?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Your question assumes that this has never been done before. This happens all the time in Canada, Madam, and again, it would depend on the community and the size of the community. For example, a local community, maybe through the assistance of a grassroots organization, would come together and have a consultation meeting with some of the contractors that are bidding for a government project. They could then inform them of what they would like to see coming out of an infrastructure project, whether that is a local park or maybe some jobs or some training opportunities if the skills are not up to speed in that community. That is a problem—

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

Thank you.

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

I'm just finishing my answer.

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

Thank you. No, no, actually, you're done. I've heard what I need—

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

I think that's up to the chair to decide whether—

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

No, I do have my time and you've answered my question—

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Okay.

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

—but you made the point that I assumed this has never been done before and that's not actually my assumption. I'm asking you to describe for this committee the process you envision, by which community members will come together—

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

I am.

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

—and you've said that some local association or organization may take up the cause to be able to demonstrate a community benefit—

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

That's not what I said.