Gordon O'Connor

[Business of Supply, May 17th, 2007]

Mr. Chair, we live in a world of practicalities. We live in a world where we have to make things better and we are making things better.

At the defence department now, all employees of the defence department, if they have the proper security clearance, will not be subject to the limitations of ITARs.

The Government of Canada is working to try to overcome the situation. By the way, this did not just appear this year. This has been with us for decades. Your government through 13 years of reign never did anything to correct it.

[Business of Supply, May 17th, 2007]

Mr. Chair, I am pleased to have this arrangement starting with the defence department which will eventually solve this entire problem.

We agree that it is a problem. We agree that it violates our charter. We are working now in a practical way to make sure that this goes away.

The primary department that is responsible for ITARs is foreign affairs, so if you want more details on ITARs and what is going to happen, you will have to talk to the foreign affairs minister.

[Business of Supply, May 17th, 2007]

Mr. Chair, this is the first step. We are working on a process with the Americans where step by step, department by department and then into industry we are getting the Americans to change their approach to ITARs. This is the very first step. The defence department now has an arrangement with the U.S. government.

[Business of Supply, May 17th, 2007]

Mr. Chair, today I announced that an arrangement has been made between the defence department, DND, and the U.S. state department that controls the ITARs in the United States. Under that arrangement the Americans will accept any person that DND declares has the proper security clearance for receiving information without caveats.

[Business of Supply, May 17th, 2007]

Mr. Chair, this is not the primary responsibility of the defence department. It is a government-wide communications plan.

[Business of Supply, May 17th, 2007]

Mr. Chair, when I have these details, all the details that the member opposite has asked for, she will be provided with them.

[Business of Supply, May 17th, 2007]

Mr. Chair, when I can, I will provide the member with those details.

[Business of Supply, May 17th, 2007]

Mr. Chair, I must point out that there may be staff representatives here, but they were asked questions within 30 or 60 seconds and we cannot immediately get the answers.

When I can, I will provide the member with the answer.

[Business of Supply, May 17th, 2007]

Mr. Chair, the member opposite may think she is smart. She is asking detailed questions that will take some time for me to provide the answers.

I do not maintain every figure in my head for every detail in the department. We have about 110,000 employees and we spend $17 billion.

[Business of Supply, May 17th, 2007]

Mr. Chair, I will get these detailed answers for the member as soon as I can.