Debates of June 3rd, 2024

Questions on the Order Paper

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

Mr. Speaker, the following questions will be answered today: Questions Nos. 2558, 2560, 2564, 2572, 2574, 2575, 2578, 2579 and 2581.

Question No.2558—

[Dave Epp, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON]

With regard to the final contract awarded by the government to the CIMA engineering firm by Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA) for the construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge: (a) what is the total value of the contract; (b) what were the determining factors of CIMA's submission being chosen over that of the Stanley Consultants engineering firm; (c) what are the details of all documents, including briefing notes, meeting minutes, draft documents, presentations, letters, contracts, agreements, communications, emails and recorded meetings regarding the hiring of Stanley Consultants, the dismissal of Stanley Consultants, and the hiring of CIMA; and (d) what are the details of all records, including documents and communications from April 2017 to April 2024, involving the (i) WDBA Board Chairs, (ii) employees of CIMA, (iii) employees of Stanley Consultants, (iv) WDBA Chief Executive Officer, (v) WDBA Chief Legal Officer, (vi) WDBA Chief Operations Officer, (vii) WDBA Chief Relations Officer, (viii) WDBA Chief Capital Officer, (ix) WDBA Chief Financial and Administrative Officer, (x) WDBA Associate Vice President and Chief Bridge Engineer?

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing]

Mr. Speaker, with regard to the final contract awarded by the government to the CIMA engineering firm by the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority, WDBA, for the construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, with respect to part (a), the total value of the contract is $10,774,981.00.

With respect to part (b), WDBA is unable to respond as Stanley Consultants was not a bidder for the contract in question. We can, however, confirm that there was a technical and financial evaluation of all firms that bid on the project, resulting in a total score. The contract was awarded to CIMA as it had the highest total score.

With respect to part (c), WDBA is unable to respond as it did not have a contractual relationship with Stanley Consultants. Further, proponents were advised that all documents and other records submitted in response to the request for proposals would be considered confidential.

With respect to part (d), WDBA is unable to respond given the scope of this request. The information requested is not systematically tracked in a centralized database. It was concluded that producing and validating a comprehensive response to this question would require a manual collection of information that is not possible in the time allotted and could lead to the disclosure of incomplete and misleading information.

Question No.2560—

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

With regard to the Department of National Defence (DND) and existing contracts with IMP Aerospace & Defence (IMP) since fiscal year 2018-19: (a) what are the details of all contracts between the DND and IMP concerning servicing and maintaining search and rescue aircraft, including the (i) contract number, (ii) date of the contract, (iii) contract value, (iv) location of work being done, (v) date by which the contracted work will be completed, (vi) conditions on labour including sick leave requirements; (b) of the contracts in (a), which contracts include (i) minimum pay standards, (ii) minimum staffing requirements, (iii) policies regarding staff mobility, including moving expenses, (iv) limits on overtime hours worked; (c) what reporting requirements exist for IMP to ensure compliance with the contracts in (a); (d) what mechanisms does the DND have to ensure compliance with the contracts in (a); and (e) has the DND used any of the mechanisms in (d) to enforce compliance?

[Marie-France Lalonde, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, in response to parts (a) and (b), National Defence has one contract, W8475-00CSH1/001/BQ, with IMP Aerospace & Defence, IMP, related to the servicing and maintenance of search and rescue aircraft in the period specified. It is the CH-149 in-service support contract, related to the servicing and maintenance of the CH-149 Cormorant search and rescue helicopter fleet. The active period of this contract is from July 31, 2000, to March 31, 2030, with a total value of $3,022,748,607.05. Work related to the contract is conducted in Enfield, Nova Scotia; Greenwood, Nova Scotia; Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador; and Comox, British Columbia.

National Defence does not hold details regarding IMP’s policies in relation to part (a)(vi) and part (b) of this question. All vendors and subcontractors for the Government of Canada agree to comply with its code of conduct for procurement. Section 8 of the code notes that the Government of Canada expects all vendors to guarantee workers’ labour and human rights in their main operations and their supply chains, including guarantees that wages are at or above the legal minimum and that workers can refuse overtime. IMP is also a federally regulated employer. It is subject to the Canada Labour Code, which includes provisions on wages and medical leave.

In response to parts (c) to (e), the CH-149 in-service support contract includes both provisions and reporting requirements to ensure compliance. For example, the contract stipulates that the contractor must perform all inspections and tests to confirm compliance and keep records of these tests and inspections. All material is subject to verification, and National Defence holds regular program review meetings with the contractor to review, monitor, and execute the program. The contractor must also collaborate with a National Defence quality assurance representative to ensure compliance and quality assurance. There have been no instances where IMP has failed to adhere to the terms of the contract, and National Defence continues to utilize all reviewing and monitoring mechanisms to ensure compliance.

Question No.2564—

[Gary Vidal, Conservative, Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK]

With regard to the new reporting requirements for bare trusts introduced in January 2023: how many T3 Income Tax and Information Returns (T3 returns) including schedule 15 (Beneficial Ownership Information of a Trust) were filed for the 2023 tax year?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, with respect to the above-noted question, what follows is the response from the CRA as of April 16, 2024, that is, the date of the question.

The CRA has received a total of 44,034 bare trust returns from January 1, 2024 to April 16, 2024 for the 2023 tax year. The CRA has processed a total of 37,593 bare trust returns containing a schedule 15, beneficial ownership information of a trust.

Please note that as tax filing season is still in progress as of the date of the question, numbers may change over time.

Question No.2572—

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

With regard to Parks Canada’s most recent update to their logo: (a) what were the expenses incurred, in total and broken down by type of expense; (b) what are the details of all contracts with external suppliers, consultants, and professional services related to the updated logo, including, for each, the (i) vendor, (ii) description of the goods and services provided, (iii) value or amount of the contract; (c) when did Parks Canada initially begin the process to update their logo; (d) on what date did Parks Canada submit their new logo to the Canadian Intellectual Property Office; and (e) what are all costs incurred by Parks Canada to replace previous logos, including a breakdown of the costs incurred at each location where the logo has been replaced?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, in response to (a), the cost of registration of the mark with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office was $510 plus taxes, $526.29. There were no further expenses given the work was done in-house.

In response to (b), all work was done in-house.

In response to (c), work began in early 2021 because new technology started to allow new fabrication methods that eliminated the need for a dedicated signage version of the beaver logo. There had been two different logos used previously, one for signage, without cross-hatching on the tail, and one for other applications, with cross-hatching. By combining these two versions, Parks Canada would see savings in signage production and efficiencies in managing its graphic elements.

The most noticeable change is the removal of cross-hatching on the beaver’s tail, which was previously present on the standard logo but not on the simplified version used for signage. Given that the cross-hatching on the tail does not reproduce well on small screens and embroidery, it has not been incorporated into the new, refined version of the logo.

In response to (d), Parks Canada submitted to the Intellectual Property Office its registration request of the new beaver logo on May 29, 2023.

In response to (e), the new beaver logo is being implemented gradually, for example after inventory of printed materials is liquidated or at the end of the regular lifecycle of products, to reduce waste and costs. Digital products, such as PowerPoint templates, social media avatars, letterhead, etc., were amended in-house.

Question No.2574—

[Philip Lawrence, Conservative, Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON]

With regard to the Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities and the costs associated with its creation, as legislated in division II of the 2023 Fall Economic Statement: (a) what are the total costs incurred to date associated with the creation of the Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities; (b) what is the breakdown of (a) by type of expense (office space renovation, new signage, branding costs, etc.); (c) what are the total annual costs associated with the ongoing operations of the Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities; (d) how many employees work for the Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities; (e) how many of the employees (i) are new government employees, (ii) were employed by Infrastructure Canada immediately prior to working for the newly formed department, (iii) were employed by a department other than Infrastructure Canada immediately prior to working for the newly formed department, broken down by previous department of employment; (f) as a result of the creation of the Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, how many houses will be built (i) in 2026, (ii) by 2030; and (g) how will the government track and measure the progress and success of the Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities?

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing]

Mr. Speaker, with regard to the Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities and the costs associated with its creation, as legislated in division II of the 2023 fall economic statement, with respect to parts (a) and (b), there will be no incremental costs incurred by the government as a result of the change proposed in division 11 of Bill C-59, Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2023. The legislative changes will not impact the department’s current operations.

With respect to parts (c), (d) and (e), for further information on Infrastructure Canada’s planned spending and human resources over the next three fiscal years, including during the proposed period of transition, please see the Infrastructure Canada 2024-25 departmental plan, at https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/pub/dp-pm/2024-25/2024-dp-pm-eng.html.

With respect to part (f), the Government of Canada is advancing a broad set of measures that will unlock millions of homes by 2031. These measures build on the significant action and results already achieved since 2017 through the national housing strategy.

Upon the passage of Bill C-59, the Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities will continue to assume a leadership role regarding housing policy and program development within the federal government. In partnership with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, the department will keep building on existing initiatives and leverage programs to get more affordable housing options to more people.

This includes the budget 2024 announcement of an additional $15 billion in new loan funding for the apartment construction loan program, bringing the program’s total to over $55 billion. This $55 billion, in turn, will contribute to the construction of over 131,000 new homes, with commitments in place by 2031-32. Similarly, the over $4-billion housing accelerator fund is helping municipalities cut red tape and, according to municipal action plans, is set to fast-track the construction of over 750,000 homes in the next decade.

For progress reports on the 2017 national housing strategy and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s initiatives, please refer to https://www.placetocallhome.ca/progress-on-the-national-housing-strategy.

With respect to part (g), following standard reporting processes for core federal departments, the Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities would be established during fiscal year 2024-25 and would publish its departmental results following the close of the fiscal year.

Question No.2575—

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

With regard to expenditures on consultants by Parks Canada since November 4, 2015: (a) what is the total amount of expenditures incurred on consultants; (b) what are the details of all such contracts under object codes (i) 0431 (Scientific consultants), (ii) 0446 (Training consultants), (iii) 0473 (Information technology and telecommunications consultants), (iv) 0491 (Management consulting), (v) 0422 (Engineering consultants – Construction), (vi) 0423 (Engineering consultants – Other), (vii) 0301 (Advertising services), (viii) 0351 (Communications professional services not elsewhere specified), (ix) 0352 (Public relations services); and (c) what are the details of the contracts in (b), including the (i) amount, (ii) vendor, (iii) date of the contract, (iv) duration of the contract, (v) description of the services provided, (vi) reason or purpose of the contract?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, for part (a), the total amount of expenditures incurred on consultants from November 4, 2015, to April 17, 2024, represents $516,285,228.42. This amount excludes objects codes 0301, 0351 and 0352 as those include consultant expenditures as well as other expenditures.

For parts (b) and (c), Parks Canada undertook a preliminary and broadly scoped search to determine the amount of information that would fall within the scope of the question and the amount of time that would be required to prepare a comprehensive response. This preliminary search identified a total of approximately 5,300 contracts which the agency would need to individually list in its response to this question. Parks Canada concluded that producing and validating a comprehensive response to this question is not possible in the time allotted and could lead to the disclosure of incomplete and misleading information.

Please refer to the proactive disclosure website, https://search.open.canada.ca/contracts/, for contracting inquiries over $10,000.

Question No.2578—

[Jeremy Patzer, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

With regard to the government’s creation of the Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council, the Regional Energy and Resource Tables, and the Sustainable Jobs Secretariat, through Bill C-50, An Act respecting accountability, transparency and engagement to support the creation of sustainable jobs for workers and economic growth in a net-zero economy: (a) has the government made a list of potential candidates for the positions within each of these entities; (b) how many positions will there be within each of these entities, broken down by title of position; (c) are there qualifications required for an appointment to one of these entities, and, if so, what are they, broken down by position; (d) are there criteria which disqualify someone from receiving an appointment or serving their term, and, if so, what are they, broken down by position; and (e) what is the amount of compensation being provided for serving in each position?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, should Bill C-50 receive royal assent, it would create two bodies, the sustainable jobs secretariat and the sustainable jobs partnership council. The Department of Natural Resources would house the sustainable jobs secretariat, which would be staffed by public servants, whereas the sustainable jobs partnership council would be an external advice-giving body comprised of Governor in Council, GIC, appointees.

The composition and number of positions for the sustainable jobs secretariat that would be created should Bill C-50 receive royal assent is under consideration; therefore, no information can be provided at this time.

The regional energy and resource tables, regional tables, are an important initiative contributing to the government’s overall sustainable jobs approach; however, the initiative predates Bill C-50. Created in 2022, the regional tables are joint partnerships between the federal government and individual provinces and territories in collaboration with indigenous partners, and with input from key stakeholders, to identify and accelerate shared economic priorities for a low-carbon future in the energy and resource sectors. An important objective of the regional tables is to understand workforce implications and needs related to the global shift to net zero. As such, they will inform Canada’s approach to supporting workers and communities and creating sustainable jobs.

With regard to the sustainable jobs partnership council, partnership council, that would be created should Bill C-50 receive royal assent, in response to (a), the government has not made a list of potential candidates for positions within the sustainable jobs partnership council. The government has implemented a Governor in Council appointment process that is open, transparent, and merit-based. Should the bill receive royal assent, a selection process following these principles would be launched. Information on Governor in Council appointments and selection processes is available at the following: https://www.canada.ca/en/privy-council/topics/appointments/governor-council.html.

In response to (b), as of first reading in the Senate, the text of Bill C-50, available at https://www.parl.ca/LegisInfo/en/bill/44-1/C-50, would create up to 13 positions, including two co-chair positions and 11 members. The co-chairs will represent trade unions and industry, respectively. The member positions would be divided as follows: (i) three who represent trade unions; (ii) three who represent industry; (iii) three who represent indigenous peoples; (iv) one who represents an environmental non-government organization; and (v) one who represents another key stakeholder group.

In response to (c), as of first reading in the Senate, the text of Bill C-50 would direct the minister to consider the importance of having members that reflect Canada’s diversity, including its regional diversity, and underrepresented groups, as well as the need for members who have knowledge, expertise or experience in at least one of the following areas: (i) the key sectors involved in the shift to a net-zero economy; (ii) the types of issues facing workers in the shift to a net-zero economy, including issues related to industrial change and technological transformation; (iii) the representation of unionized workers; (iv) the indigenous knowledge of indigenous peoples; (v) climate change and climate policy at the regional, national and international levels; (vi) economic and labour market analysis and forecasting; (vii) skills development, training and retraining initiatives at the regional and national levels; and (viii) the governance of advisory boards or committees.

In response to (d), as indicated in the text of the proposed Bill C-50, the members of the partnership council would be subject to the provisions of the bill and the terms of reference for the partnership council that would be established by the responsible minister in consultation with the specified ministers. The terms of reference for the partnership council would be made public following passage of the bill. Additionally, the members of the partnership council, as GIC appointees, would be subject to the terms and conditions set out by PCO, which can be accessed at the following location: https://www.canada.ca/en/privy-council/programs/appointments/governor-council-appointments/compensation-terms-conditions-employment/terms-conditions.html.

In response to (e), as indicated in the text of the proposed Bill C-50, remuneration for the members of the sustainable jobs partnership council would be fixed by the Governor in Council. The Privy Council Office’s remuneration guidelines for part-time GIC appointees in agencies, boards, and commissions provide information on how the GIC sets remuneration for part-time appointees and can be consulted at the following location: https://www.canada.ca/en/privy-council/programs/appointments/governor-council-appointments/compensation-terms-conditions-employment/remuneration-guidelines-agencies-boards-commissions.html.

Question No.2579—

[Scot Davidson, Conservative, York—Simcoe, ON]

With regard to the carbon tax and reports that individuals and families living in provinces and locations without the federal carbon tax are receiving the Canada Carbon Rebate (CCR): (a) how many individuals and families with home addresses in Quebec received a CCR payment in (i) 2023, (ii) 2024, and what was the total amount paid out to those recipients; and (b) how many individuals and families with mailing addresses outside of Canada received a CCR payment in (i) 2023, (ii) 2024, and what was the total amount paid to those recipients?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, with respect to the above-noted question, what follows is the response from the CRA as of April 17, 2024, that is, the date of question.

Information regarding the eligibility for the Canada carbon rebate, CCR, is available on the Government of Canada website: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/child-family-benefits/cai-payment/who-eligible.html.

The occurrences noted below may happen when the address on file for an individual is within a CCR jurisdiction when the payment is calculated and subsequently changed to a Quebec or an international address afterwards.

In response to part (a), in the 2023 calendar year, there were 2,490 individuals and families with home addresses in Quebec who received a Canada carbon rebate, CCR, payment, totaling $622,000; In the 2024 calendar year, there were 1,000 individuals and families with home addresses in Quebec who received a CCR payment, totaling $269,000.

In response to part (b), in the 2023 calendar year, there were 4,310 individuals and families with mailing addresses outside of Canada who received a CCR payment, totaling $1,263,000. In the 2024 calendar year, there were 2,350 individuals and families with mailing addresses outside of Canada who received a CCR payment, totaling $532,000.

Question No.2581—

[Chris d'Entremont, Conservative, West Nova, NS]

With regard to Natural Resources Canada's (NRCan) 2016 Ministerial Review of the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion Project: why does NRCan no longer have a record of (i) the presentations made to the review panel at the public engagement meetings, (ii) the notes taken at the public engagement meetings?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, the 2016 ministerial review of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project was carried out by an independent review panel. The report is publicly available on the NRCan website: https://www.canada.ca/en/campaign/trans-mountain/indigenous-engagement/what-weve-done/previous-public-engagement.html.

Questions Passed as Orders for Returns

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

Mr. Speaker, if the government's responses to Questions Nos. 2559, 2561 to 2563, 2565 to 2571, 2573, 2576, 2577, 2580, and 2582 could be made orders for return, these returns would be tabled in electronic format immediately.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Question No.2559—

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

With regard to budget 2023 and the government’s action to crack down on junk fees: (a) what are the details of all consultations and meetings with regulatory agencies, provinces and territories on this subject, including the (i) date of the consultation, (ii) agency or officials consulted, (iii) outcomes of the consultation; (b) what indicators and targets does the government use to measure progress on cutting junk fees; and (c) what efforts have been done by the government to (i) set new NSF fee caps, (ii) enhance low-cost accounts, (iii) expand eligibility for no-cost accounts?

(Return tabled)

Question No.2561—

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

With regard to government contracts for services provided by a nutritionist or dietician and services provided by a pharmacist within all federal departments, broken down by fiscal year, since 2017-18: (a) what is the total number of contracts signed for (i) services provided by a nutritionist or dietician, (ii) services provided by a pharmacist; (b) what are the details of all contracts signed, including the (i) agency contracted, (ii) value of the contract, (iii) number of nutritionists, dieticians or pharmacists provided, (iv) duration of the contract; and (c) what is the total amount of extra costs incurred as a result of relying on contracted services instead of employing nutritionists, dieticians or pharmacists directly?