Debates of Sept. 18th, 2023

Question No.1559—

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

With regard to the disposal of fish and seafood seized by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) during the 2022 calendar year: (a) what are the DFO's policies related to the disposal of seized fish and seafood; (b) what are the details for each seizure, including, for instance, the (i) manner of disposal, (ii) quantity, (iii) species or type of seafood, (iv) recipient, if applicable; (c) of the items that were disposed of, how much was donated to local food banks or charities and what is the breakdown of the quantity each food bank or charity received; and (d) what are the DFO's policies in relation to DFO staff and agents consuming seized fish or seafood?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1560—

[Adam Chambers, Conservative, Simcoe North, ON]

With regard to real estate properties leased or owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC): (a) in what cities does the CBC (i) own, (ii) lease, its properties; (b) what is the total estimated or assessed value of properties owned by the CBC; (c) what was the total amount paid for leases by the CBC in the 2022-23 fiscal year; (d) what is the breakdown of (b) by property owned, including, for each, the address; and (e) what is the breakdown of (c) by city where property is leased?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1561—

[Karen Vecchio, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

With regard to non-disclosure agreements (NDA) signed by ministerial exempt staff as part of a legal settlement or agreement related to incidents that occurred involving ministers or their exempt staff, since January 1, 2017: (a) how many current and former exempt staff members are currently bound by an NDA; (b) how many such legal settlements or agreements have been signed by the government, broken down by year; and (c) what is the breakdown of the number of current or former exempt staff members who signed such an NDA, broken down by year and by the minister they were working for at the time of the incident?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1563—

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

With regard to the government's executive vehicle fleet as of June 1, 2023: (a) what was the (i) year, make and model, (ii) purchase price, (iii) date of purchase, for each vehicle; and (b) to which minister or government executive was each vehicle in (a) assigned?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1564—

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

With regard to Elections Canada (EC): does EC have a strategy to prevent foreign interference in the next election, and, if so, (i) what is it, (ii) how much money is budgeted towards it, (iii) which diasporas or groups which were targeted in the 2019 and 2021 elections were consulted in the development of the strategy and how were they consulted?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1566—

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Edmonton, AB]

With regard to the electronic voters' list currently being created by Elections Canada (EC): what are the details of all contracts signed by EC related to the list, including, for each, the (i) vendor, (ii) date and duration, (iii) amount, (iv) description of the goods or services provided, (v) manner in which the contract was awarded (competitive bid or sole-sourced)?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1567—

[Mike Morrice, Green, Kitchener Centre, ON]

With regard to formal negotiations related to the forthcoming Canada Disability Benefit proposed under Bill C-22, Canada Disability Benefit Act, that have taken place between the federal government and the provincial and territorial governments, or organizations from the disability community: (a) what are the details of the discussions or meetings, including, for each, the (i) date and location, (ii) participants, (iii) subject matter discussed, (iv) outcome; (b) do any supporting documents related to these discussions or meetings exist, including, but not limited to, emails, briefing notes, memos and reports, and, if so, what are the details of such documents; and (c) what is the government’s projected timeline for completing negotiations?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1569—

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

With regard to government protection for whistleblowers: (a) what specific protection is provided for whistleblowers who publicize wrongdoing within the Office of the Prime Minister (PMO); and (b) what mechanisms, if any, are in place to ensure that individuals within the PMO or the Privy Council Office do not punish such whistleblowers?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1573—

[Eric Melillo, Conservative, Kenora, ON]

With regard to expenditures on hotel rooms by the government during or related to the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP 15) in Montreal from December 7 to 19, 2022: (a) what was the total amount spent; (b) what are the details of the spending at each hotel, including the (i) total amount spent, (ii) name of the hotel, (iii) number of rooms rented each night, (iv) rate paid, including the number of rooms at each rate?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1574—

[John Nater, Conservative, Perth—Wellington, ON]

With regard to the 42nd Parliament's Bill C-58, An Act to amend the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts, giving the Information Commissioner the power to make binding orders related to access to information requests: (a) how many binding orders has the Information Commissioner made since the bill received royal assent in June 2019, in total and broken down by each government institution subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act (ATIP); (b) how many of the orders in (a) were (i) abided by, (ii) ignored, (iii) appealed or challenged in court; (c) for each order in (b) that was ignored, what was the (i) order given by the Information Commissioner, (ii) subject of the original ATIP request, (iii) reason for ignoring the order, (iv) title of the individual responsible for the decision to ignore the request; and (d) for each order in (b) that was appealed or challenged in court, what was the (i) order given by the Information Commissioner, (ii) subject of the original ATIP request, (iii) title of the individual responsible for appealing or challenging the order in court, (iv) total of the legal fees incurred to date by the recipient of the order, (v) outcome or status of the appeal?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1577—

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

With regard to the news that Navigator Ltd. has been hired to support the work of special rapporteur David Johnston: (a) will payment for this firm be made by the government; (b) if the answer to (a) is affirmative, what are the details, including the (i) total value of the relevant contract, (ii) date the contract was signed, (iii) end date of the contract, (iv) stated purpose of the contract, (v) details of the goods and services provided, (vi) manner in which the contract was awarded (sole-sourced, competitive bid, etc.); (c) are there any other contracts with any other external service providers to support the work of special rapporteur David Johnston; and (d) if the answer to (c) is affirmative, what are the details, including the (i) total value of the relevant contract, (ii) date the contract was signed, (iii) end date of the contract, (iv) stated purpose of the contract, (v) details of the goods and services provided, (vi) manner in which the contract was awarded (sole-sourced, competitive bid, etc.)?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1578—

[Corey Tochor, Conservative, Saskatoon—University, SK]

With regard to the government's use of the term "rapporteur": (a) what is the government's definition of rapporteur; and (b) what is the difference between an advisor and a rapporteur?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1579—

[Corey Tochor, Conservative, Saskatoon—University, SK]

With regard to expenditures associated with David Johnston's role as a "special rapporteur": (a) what is the budget for the special rapporteur; (b) was the special rapporteur required to obtain sign-off from the Office of the Prime Minister or the Privy Council Office (PCO) prior to retaining services from Navigator Ltd. and, if so, who approved the contract; (c) what is the value of the contract with Navigator Ltd.; (d) why was communication support from current government employees not provided to the special rapporteur by the PCO; (e) why did the special rapporteur determine there was a need to hire a crisis communications firm; (f) at what point did the special rapporteur determine that his communications were in crisis; and (g) why did the Prime Minister put David Johnston in a position where he would require crisis communications support?