Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
National Finance

Issue 31 - Minutes of Proceedings - December 4, 2012

OTTAWA, Tuesday, December 4, 2012
(86)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on National Finance met this day, at 9:30 a.m., in room 9, Victoria Building, the chair, the Honourable Joseph A. Day, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Bellemare, Buth, Callbeck, Chaput, De Bané, P.C., Day, Finley, Gerstein, Hervieux-Payette, P.C., McInnis and Smith (Saurel) (11).

In attendance: Sylvain Fleury and Édison Roy-César, Analysts, Parliamentary Information and Research Service, Library of Parliament.

Also in attendance: The official reporters of the Senate.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Tuesday, November 20, 2012, the committee continued its examination of the expenditures set out in the Supplementary Estimates (B) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2013, with the exception of Parliament Vote 10b. (For complete text of the order of reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue No. 30.)

WITNESSES:

Department of Finance Canada:

Sherry Harrison, Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Services Branch;

Douglas Nevison, Director, Economic and Fiscal Policy Branch;

Lise Potvin, Director, Sales Tax Division;

Chantal Maheu, General Director, Federal-Provincial Relations and Social Policy Branch;

Jeremy Rudin, Assistant Deputy Minister, Financial Sector Branch.

National Defence:

Major-General Robert Bertrand, Acting Chief Financial Officer;

Major-General Ian C. Poulter, Chief of Program;

Karen Cahill, Director General, Strategic Finance and Financial Arrangements;

Rear-Admiral Patrick Finn, Chief of Staff, Materiel Group.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada:

Greg Meredith, Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Policy Branch;

Pierre Corriveau, Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Management;

Rita Moritz, Assistant Deputy Minister, Programs Branch.

Canadian Food Inspection Agency:

Peter Everson, Vice President, Corporate Management;

Paul Mayers, Associate Vice President, Policy and Programs;

Barbara A. Jordan, Associate Vice President, Operations.

The chair made a statement.

Ms. Harrison and Major-General Bertrand each made a statement and, together with Ms. Potvin, Ms. Maheu, Mr. Rudin, Mr. Nevison, Major-General Poulter, Ms. Cahill and Rear-Admiral Finn, answered questions.

At 10:30 a.m., the committee suspended.

At 10:34 a.m., the committee resumed.

Mr. Meredith and Mr. Everson each made a statement and, together with Mr. Corriveau, Ms. Moritz, Mr. Mayer and Ms. Jordan, answered questions.

At 11:35 a.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Jodi Turner

Clerk of the Committee