THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL FINANCE

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Wednesday, November 25, 2020
(6)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on National Finance met this day by videoconference at 1:20 p.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, Klyne, Loffreda, Marshall, Mockler, Richards and Smith (12).

In attendance: Andrea Mugny, Procedural Clerk, 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 Wednesday, November 18, 2020, the committee began its examination of the expenditures set out in the Main Estimates and the Supplementary Estimates (B) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021.

WITNESSES (by videoconference):

Public Health Agency of Canada:

Carlo Beaudoin, Chief Financial Officer;

Karen McKinnon, Acting Vice-President, Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention Branch;

Peter Linkletter, Vice-President, National Emergency Strategic Stockpile;

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

Health Canada:

Edward de Sousa, Acting Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Financial Officer;

Ed Morgan, Director General, Policy, Planning and International Affairs Directorate;

Megan Bettle, Director General, COVID-19 Regulatory Response Team;

Nancy Hamzawi, Assistant Deputy Minister, Policy and Strategic Integration, Testing, Contact Tracing and Data Strategies Secretariat;

Marcel Saulnier, Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Policy Branch.

Public Services and Procurement Canada:

Wojciech (Wojo) Zielonka, Chief Financial Officer, Finance and Administration Branch;

Michael Mills, Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Procurement Branch;

André Fillion, Assistant Deputy Minister, Defence and Marine Procurement, Acquisitions Programs;

Stephanie Kirkland, Assistant Deputy Minister, Pay Administration Branch.

Employment and Social Development Canada:

Mark Perlman, Chief Financial Officer;

Jason Won, Deputy Chief Financial Officer;

Cliff Groen, Assistant Deputy Minister, Benefits Delivery Services;

Elisha Ram, Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Skills and Employment Branch.

Indigenous Services Canada:

Philippe Thompson, Chief Finances, Results and Delivery Officer;

Keith Conn, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch;

Mary-Luisa Kapelus, Assistant Deputy Minister, Education and Social Development Programs and Partnerships Sector.

Department of Finance Canada:

Darlene Bess, Chief Financial Officer, Financial Management Directorate, Corporate Services Branch;

Miodrag Jovanovic, Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Tax Policy Branch;

Sam Millar, Director General, Corporate Finance, Natural Resources and Environment, Economic Development and Corporate Finance Branch;

Galen Countryman, Director General, Federal-Provincial Relations, Federal-Provincial Relations and Social Policy Branch;

Nicholas Leswick, Assistant Deputy Minister, Economic and Fiscal Policy Branch;

Sarah Lawley, Assistant Deputy Minister, Consultations and Communications Branch.

Mr. Zielonka, Mr. de Sousa and Mr. Beaudoin each made a statement and, together with Messrs. Linkletter, Saulnier, Mills and Fillion and Ms. Kirkland, answered questions.

Mr. Perlman, Mr. Thompson and Ms. Bess each made a statement and, together with Messrs. Won, Ram, Conn, Jovanovic, Millar, Countryman and Leswick and Ms. Lawley, answered questions

At 4:10 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Maxime Fortin

Clerk of the Committee