Madam Chair, can Public Services and Procurement Canada explain to us how the government can enter into a mutually agreeable private contract with a private company for $400 million?

Public Works and Government Services—Main Estimates, 2022-23Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:15 p.m.

Liberal

Filomena Tassi Liberal Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON

Madam Chair, just to be clear, we are negotiating with the landowners, who have the ability to have appraisals, etc.

Public Works and Government Services—Main Estimates, 2022-23Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:15 p.m.

Conservative

Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC

Madam Chair, it is my understanding, then, that the minister's department will not be involved in negotiations with Canadian Pacific for the acquisition of the bypass and for the construction contract.

Public Works and Government Services—Main Estimates, 2022-23Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:15 p.m.

Liberal

Filomena Tassi Liberal Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON

Madam Chair, I am sorry; I hope I am understanding. We are in negotiation with the landowners.

Public Works and Government Services—Main Estimates, 2022-23Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:15 p.m.

Conservative

Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC

Madam Chair, I will ask the minister this question for the last time. Will her department be involved in reaching an agreement with Canadian Pacific for the construction and acquisition of the rail line?

Public Works and Government Services—Main Estimates, 2022-23Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:15 p.m.

Liberal

Filomena Tassi Liberal Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON

Madam Chair, I would suggest that that question be directed to Transport Canada.

Public Works and Government Services—Main Estimates, 2022-23Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:15 p.m.

Conservative

Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC

Madam Chair, is the minister familiar with Andrew Kendrick, who appeared before the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates on May 13?

Public Works and Government Services—Main Estimates, 2022-23Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:15 p.m.

Liberal

Filomena Tassi Liberal Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON

Madam Chair, no, I do not.

Public Works and Government Services—Main Estimates, 2022-23Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:15 p.m.

Conservative

Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC

Madam Chair, Mr. Kendrick is an architect who worked for the government from 1981 to 2020. He has credibility and a great deal of experience. He told the committee that the offshore patrol ship project process, which is supposed to be fair, open and transparent, is not. It is completely opaque. Does the minister agree with his statement?

Public Works and Government Services—Main Estimates, 2022-23Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:15 p.m.

Liberal

Filomena Tassi Liberal Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON

Madam Chair, as I have said, our processes are open, fair and transparent. I have not seen the testimony, but I would just assert that that is what our process is.

Public Works and Government Services—Main Estimates, 2022-23Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:15 p.m.

Conservative

Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC

Madam Chair, Mr. Kendrick, who worked for the Government of Canada from 1981 to 2020, said that what concerns him about the whole shipbuilding process is that the government has lost control of situation. Does the minister agree?

Public Works and Government Services—Main Estimates, 2022-23Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:15 p.m.

Liberal

Filomena Tassi Liberal Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON

Madam Chair, absolutely not. I do not agree with that.

Public Works and Government Services—Main Estimates, 2022-23Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:20 p.m.

Conservative

Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC

Madam Chair, Mr. Kendrick also says that Canada's national shipbuilding strategy is not delivering the ships that the Canadian Navy and Coast Guard need. According to him, the few ships that the strategy has delivered have cost an indecent amount of money, and Canada has become an international laughingstock. Is the minister okay with being a laughingstock?

Public Works and Government Services—Main Estimates, 2022-23Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:20 p.m.

Liberal

Filomena Tassi Liberal Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON

Madam Chair, again, what I would say is that I am proud of the national shipbuilding strategy. I think the economic benefits for Canada, the jobs that it creates, and the amazing work that is taking place are something that we as Canadians should all be proud of.

Public Works and Government Services—Main Estimates, 2022-23Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:20 p.m.

Conservative

Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC

Madam Chair, in his statement, Mr. Kendrick said that, broadly speaking, Canada is paying between three and five times the world price for ships and taking two to four times longer to get them. Is the minister also proud of those results?

Public Works and Government Services—Main Estimates, 2022-23Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:20 p.m.

Liberal

Filomena Tassi Liberal Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON

Madam Chair, I just want to be clear. I assume the member recognizes this, but we actually compete these contracts. They are the result of competitive processes.

Public Works and Government Services—Main Estimates, 2022-23Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:20 p.m.

Conservative

Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC

Madam Chair, I am quoting comments made by a committee witness who worked for the Canadian government from 1981 to 2020.

Mr. Kendrick also asked the committee to note that the offshore patrol ships are not wanted or needed by either the navy or the Coast Guard and are only being built to keep the shipyard busy until the Canadian surface combatant project is ready to move forward. Does the minister agree with that statement?

Public Works and Government Services—Main Estimates, 2022-23Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:20 p.m.

Liberal

Filomena Tassi Liberal Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON

Madam Chair, DND tells PSPC what it needs, and we procure what it needs. I would just add that the national shipbuilding strategy contributes $1.54 billion annually to the economy, and it creates and maintains 18,000 jobs per year.

Public Works and Government Services—Main Estimates, 2022-23Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:20 p.m.

Conservative

Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC

Madam Chair, is the minister telling us that PSPC blindly does whatever DND tells it to, without doing any checks? Is that how her department works?

Public Works and Government Services—Main Estimates, 2022-23Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:20 p.m.

Liberal

Filomena Tassi Liberal Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON

Madam Chair, no, I am absolutely not saying that. What I am saying is that DND is the client. It tells us what product it wants. We then compete the process, and in the shipbuilding strategy, we are monitoring it throughout.

Public Works and Government Services—Main Estimates, 2022-23Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:20 p.m.

Conservative

Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC

Madam Chair, I have a simple question. When will her department's employees return to work at their offices?

Public Works and Government Services—Main Estimates, 2022-23Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:20 p.m.

Liberal

Filomena Tassi Liberal Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON

Madam Chair, we are asking departments to make the decisions as to how they want to work. We know that it is challenging. We know that work is going to look different, but we are interested in creating safe spaces so that they—

Public Works and Government Services—Main Estimates, 2022-23Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:20 p.m.

NDP

The Deputy Chair NDP Carol Hughes

It is time to resume debate.

The hon. member for Steveston—Richmond East.