THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL FINANCE

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Thursday, June 18, 2020
(16)

[English]

Pursuant to the order of the Senate of June 16, 2020, the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance met this day by videoconference at 10:09 a.m. (ET), the chair, the Honourable Percy Mockler, presiding. This meeting is considered to have taken place in the parliamentary precinct.

Members of the committee present by videoconference: The Honourable Senators Boehm, Dagenais, Deacon (Ontario), Duncan, Forest, Galvez, Harder, P.C., Klyne, Loffreda, Marshall, Mockler and Smith (12).

Participating in the meeting: Gaëtane Lemay and Mireille Aubé, Procedural Clerks, Committees Directorate; Alex Smith and Shaowei Pu, Analysts, Parliamentary Information and Research Services, Library of Parliament.

Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Tuesday, June 16, 2020, the committee began its examination of the Supplementary Estimates (A) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021.

WITNESSES (by videoconference):

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada:

Douglas McConnachie, Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Management Sector;

Mark Schaan, Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic and Innovation Policy Sector.

Public Health Agency of Canada:

Carlo Beaudoin, Chief Financial Officer;

Kimberly Elmslie, Vice-President, Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Branch;

Eric Dagenais, Vice-President;

Dr. Guillaume Poliquin, Acting Scientific Director General;

Sally Thornton, Vice-President, Health Security Infrastructure Branch.

Indigenous Services Canada:

Philippe Thompson, Chief Finances, Results and Delivery Officer;

Valerie Gideon, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch.

Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces:

Major-General Hercule Gosselin, Chief of Program;

Cheri Crosby, Assistant Deputy Minister (Finance) and Chief Financial Officer;

Troy Crosby, Assistant Deputy Minister (Materiel);

Rob Chambers, Assistant Deputy Minister (Infrastructure and Environment).

Canadian Air Transport Security Authority:

Michael Saunders, President and Chief Executive Officer;

Nancy Fitchett, Vice-President of Corporate Affairs and Chief Financial Officer;

Neil Parry, Vice-President, Service Delivery.

Public Services and Procurement Canada:

Marty Muldoon, Chief Financial Officer, Finance and Administration Branch;

Gini Bethell, Assistant Deputy Minister, HR-to-Pay Program Office;

Lorenzo Ieraci, Director General, Office of Small and Medium Enterprises and Stakeholder Engagement.

The chair made a statement.

Mr. McConnachie, Mr. Beaudoin and Mr. Thompson each made a statement and, together with Mr. Schaan, Mr. Dagenais, Ms. Gideon and Ms. Elmslie, answered questions.

Ms. Crosby, Mr. Saunders and Mr. Muldoon each made a statement and, together with Mr. Crosby, Ms. Fitchett, Mr. Parry, Ms. Bethell, MGen. Gosselin and Mr. Ieraci, answered questions.

At 12:43 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Maxime Fortin

Clerk of the Committee