Debates of Dec. 6th, 2023

Question No.1858—

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

With regard to the Auditor General of Canada’s report on Modernizing Information Technology Systems, published on October 19, 2023: (a) what are the names and descriptions of each government software application that the Auditor General identified as being in poor health; and (b) what are the names of the 562 software applications that the Auditor General identified as essential?

[Anita Anand, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board]

Mr. Speaker, due to security reasons, the names and descriptions of the applications identified as poor health, as well as the names of the essential applications, cannot be released.

Question No.1860—

[Shuv Majumdar, Conservative, Calgary Heritage, AB]

With regard to the statement by the Director of Communications to the Minister of International Development that “We will continue to support civilians with life-saving humanitarian aid, while ensuring that no money goes into the hands of Hamas”: (a) what specific measures is the government taking to ensure that no money goes into the hands of Hamas; (b) has the government issued any type of directives, to all foreign aid recipients in the region, to take measures to ensure that they are not aiding Hamas in any way, either directly or indirectly, and, if so, (i) what were the directives, (ii) who issued the directives, (iii) on what date were the directives issued; and (c) is the government aware of any foreign aid, or money or goods purchased with foreign aid, including any bilateral or multilateral aid, ending up in the hands of Hamas at any point in the last five years, and, if so, what are the details and the government’s response to each instance?

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development]

Mr. Speaker, Canada disburses an average of approximately $55 million annually to help meet the development and humanitarian needs of vulnerable Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank and neighbouring countries. All programming and funding mechanisms are thoroughly examined to be consistent with Canadian values and to meet the highest standards of transparency and accountability.

Since the onset of the October 7, 2023, attacks, the Minister of International Development has explicitly directed the department to reinforce and expand its already robust vetting procedures. This directive ensures even more thorough scrutiny is applied, going beyond our multi-tiered system, to guarantee that no aid inadvertently benefits Hamas or other non-compliant entities. This heightened vigilance is a testament to our commitment to ethical aid distribution, aligning with our unwavering dedication to upholding the integrity of our humanitarian efforts.

All Canadian funding to Palestinians goes through trusted partner organizations, such as United Nations agencies and Canadian international non-governmental organizations. Global Affairs Canada exercises enhanced due diligence for all humanitarian and development assistance funding for Palestinians, to ensure that no money goes into the hands of terrorist groups like Hamas. These efforts are twofold, involving a systematic screening process of all implementing and sub-implementing partners against three anti-terrorism regimes. The first is the list of entities under Canada’s Criminal Code, managed by Public Safety. The second is the regulations implementing the United Nations resolutions on the suppression of terrorism, RIUNRST, managed by Global Affairs Canada. The third is the regulations implementing the United Nations resolutions on Taliban, ISIL or Da’esh, and Al-Qaida, UNAQTR, which are the 1267 list and 1988 list, managed by the United Nations.

Anti-terrorism provisions figure in all of our funding agreements, wherein Canadian partners’ responsibilities are made clear and agreed to by said partners. Every implementing partner and sub-implementer is screened in line with international standards and Canadian domestic anti-terrorism legislation and requirements. The Government of Canada is not aware of any foreign aid, provided by Canada, ending up in the hands of Hamas.

Questions Passed as Orders for Returns

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Madam Speaker, furthermore, if the government's responses to Questions Nos. 1848, 1851 to 1853, 1856, 1857 and 1859 could be made orders for return, these returns would be tabled immediately.

Question No.1848—

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB]

With regard to Canada’s immigration system, labour shortages, and housing shortages: (a) for each year, since January 1, 2016, how many successful applicants for permanent residency were skilled tradespeople; (b) how many of the immigrants in (a) were qualified to work in residential construction in the province in which they settled; (c) what proportion of the immigrants in (a) did immigrants in (b) constitute; (d) how many of the immigrants in (b) found work in their respective trades within (i) one year, (ii) two years, (iii) three years; and (e) how many of the immigrants in (b) were employed in their respective trades as of October 1, 2023?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1851—

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

With regard to government financial forecasting: what is the projected interest rate and the range of possible interest rates that the government is using to make its forecasts, broken down by year, for each of the next five years?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1852—

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

With regard to the Benefits Delivery Modernization programme: (a) what are the total expenditures through the programme, broken down by year, since 2020; and (b) what are the details of all external contracts signed by the government as part of, or in relation to, the programme, including, for each, the (i) date, (ii) vendor, (iii) amount, (iv) description of the goods or services, including the scope of work, (v) manner in which the contract was awarded (sole-sourced, competitively bid)?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1853—

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

With regard to government contracts with Avascent, since January 1, 2016, broken down by department, agency, Crown corporation, or other government entity: (a) what was the total value of the contracts signed with Avascent, broken down by year; and (b) what are the details of each contract, including, for each, (i) the date, (ii) the vendor, (iii) the amount, (iv) a description of the goods or services, (v) the purpose of the contract and the scope of work, (vi) whether the contract was awarded through a competitive bid or sole-source process?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1856—

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

With regard to palliative care: (a) how much has the government spent on palliative care, including, but not limited to, funding for the provision of palliative care, the training of medical staff, and the development of the framework for palliative care across Canada, broken down by year, for each year from 2018 to date in 2023; and (b) what is the breakdown of (a) by item and type of expenditure?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1857—

[Jasraj Singh Hallan, Conservative, Calgary Forest Lawn, AB]

With regard to the federal carbon tax or price on carbon, since 2018, broken down by year: (a) what was the average dollar amount collected by the government from (i) individual Canadians, (ii) individual Canadian business; (b) what is the breakdown of (a)(i) and (a)(ii) by province or territory; (c) what was the per capita dollar amount collected by the government; (d) what is the breakdown of (c) by province or territory; (e) what was the average climate action incentive payment received by (i) individual Canadians, (ii) businesses; and (f) what is the breakdown of (e)(i) and (e)(ii) by province or territory?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1859—

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

With regard to Employment and Social Development Canada’s Benefits Delivery Modernization programme: (a) what is the total number of government employees or full time equivalents who worked on this project from 2017 to present, broken down by year; (b) what are the government’s projections of how many staff will be required to complete this programme, from now until 2030, broken down by year; (c) which consulting companies have been contracted in relation to the programme, including, for each, the (i) scope of their work, (ii) contract value; (d) what was the cost of the PwC Case Study referred to in the Auditor General of Canada’s report on Modernizing Information Technology Systems, published on October 19, 2023; and (e) what is the estimated annual cost to administer the programme, in total, broken down by (i) type of cost, (ii) year from 2017 to 2030?

(Return tabled)

Questions Passed as Orders for Returns

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

Is it agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Madam Speaker, finally, I ask that all remaining questions be allowed to stand.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The hon. member for Fleetwood—Port Kells spoke in the House a moment ago. He just put a tweet out into the public realm with regard to the leader of the official opposition. It insinuates that the leader of the official opposition should commit suicide, so I would like to give the member the opportunity to apologize for the statement and retract it.