Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
National Finance

Issue No. 26 - Minutes of Proceedings - February 28, 2017 (afternoon meeting)

OTTAWA, Tuesday, February 28, 2017
(64)

[Translation]

The Standing Senate Committee on National Finance met this day at 2:26 p.m., in room 160-S, Centre Block, the chair, the Honourable Larry W. Smith, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Andreychuk, Cools, Forest, Lankin, P.C., Marshall, Mockler, Moncion, Neufeld, Smith and Tkachuk (10).

Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Wednesday, February 15, 2017, the committee began its study of Supplementary Estimates (C) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2017.

WITNESSES:

Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat:

Marcia Santiago, Executive Director, Expenditure Management Sector;

Darryl Sprecher, Senior Director, Expenditure Management Sector;

Renée LaFontaine, Assistant Secretary and Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Services Sector.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada:

Pierre Corriveau, Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Management Branch;

France Pégeot, Assistant Deputy Minister, Programs Branch.

Infrastructure Canada:

Marc Fortin, Assistant Deputy Minister, Program Operations;

Cynthia Cantlie, Director General, Finance and Contracting.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada:

Paul Thoppil, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Financial Officer Sector;

Catherine Blanchard, Director General, Planning and Resource Management, Chief Financial Officer Sector;

Serge Beaudoin, Director General, Sector Operations Branch, Regional Operations Sector.

Ms. Santiago and Mr. Corriveau each made an opening statement and, with Ms. LaFontaine and Mr. Sprecher, answered questions.

At 3:33 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 3:38 p.m., the committee resumed.

Ms. Cantlie and Mr. Thoppil each made an opening statement and, with Mr. Fortin, answered questions.

DECLARATION OF PRIVATE INTERESTS

At 3:49 p.m., pursuant to rule 15-7(1) and subsection 12(1) of the Ethics and Conflict of Interest Code for Senators, a declaration of private interests was made as follows:

By oral declaration, the Honourable Senator Lankin, P.C., with respect to the study of Supplementary Estimates (C) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2017 (specifically, the capital expenditures of the Windsor- Detroit Bridge Authority and the transfer agreement with Hydro One).

At 4:23 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Gaëtane Lemay

Clerk of the Committee