Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
National Finance

Issue No. 27 - Minutes of Proceedings - March 8, 2017 (First Meeting)

OTTAWA, Wednesday, March 8, 2017
(68)

[Translation]

The Standing Senate Committee on National Finance met this day at 1:47 p.m., in room 160-S, Centre Block, the chair, the Honourable Larry W. Smith, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Black, Forest, Marshall, Mockler, Pratte, Smith, Unger and Woo (8).

In attendance: Sylvain Fleury and Olivier Leblanc-Laurendeau, analysts, Parliamentary Information and Research Service, Library of Parliament.

Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Wednesday, March 1, 2017, the committee continued its study on the Main Estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2018.

WITNESSES:

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC):

Mark Perlman, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Financial Officer Branch;

Jason Won, Director General, Financial Management and Advisory Services and Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Chief Financial Officer Branch;

Paul Thompson, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Skills and Employment Branch;

Alexis Conrad, Assistant Deputy Minister, Learning Branch;

Kathryn McDade, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Income Security and Social Development Branch;

Cliff Groen, Assistant Deputy Minister, Benefits Delivery Services, Transformation and Integrated Service Management Branch;

Doug Murphy, Director General, Social Policy Directorate, Strategic and Service Policy Branch.

Global Affairs Canada:

Arun Thangaraj, Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Financial Officer;

Shirley Carruthers, Acting Director General, Financial Resource Planning and Management Bureau;

Pamela O'Donnell, Acting Director General, Peace and Stabilization Operations Program.

National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces:

Brigadier-General Werner Liedtke, Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Director General, Financial Management;

Colonel Sylvain Ménard, Director, Defence Programme Coordination;

André Fillion, Chief of Staff (Materiel).

Mr. Perlman made a statement and, with Mr. Won, Mr. Thompson, Ms. McDade, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Conrad and Mr. Groen, answered questions.

At 2:44 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 2:56 p.m., the committee resumed.

Mr. Thangaraj and Mr. Liedtke each made a statement and, with Mr. Fillion, Mr. Ménard and Ms. O'Donnell, answered questions.

At 3:56 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Gaëtane Lemay

Clerk of the Committee