THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL FINANCE

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Wednesday, March 29, 2023
(51)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on National Finance met this day at 6:46 p.m., in room W110, 1 Wellington St., the deputy chair, the Honourable Éric Forest, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Boehm, Bovey, Dagenais, Duncan, Forest, Gignac, Loffreda, Marshall, Pate and Smith (10).

Participating in the meeting: Shaowei Pu and Sylvain Fleury, analysts, Library of Parliament.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, the committee continued its examination of the expenditures set out in the Main Estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024.

WITNESSES:

Indigenous Services Canada:

Philippe Thompson, Chief Finances, Results and Delivery Officer;

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

Kelley Blanchette, Assistant Deputy Minister, Lands and Economic Development;

Sylvain Souligny, Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Regional Operations;

Ian Kenney, Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Education and Social Development Programs and Partnership Sector;

Lisa Legault, Senior Director, Children and Families Directorate.

Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada:

Véronique Côté, Director General, Planning and Resource Management, Chief Finances, Results and Delivery Office Sector;

Eric Marion, Director General, Fiscal Branch, Treaties and Aboriginal Government;

Garima Dwivedi, Assistant Deputy Minister, Resolutions and Partnerships;

Bruno Steinke, Senior Director, Consultation and Accommodation Unit Directorate;

Wayne Walsh, Director General, Northern Strategic Policy Branch;

Francois Weldon, Director General, Indigenous and External Relations Branch, Policy and Strategic Direction.

Philippe Thompson and Véronique Côté each made a statement and, together with Sylvain Souligny, Lisa Legault, Ian Kenney, Wayne Walsh and Kelley Blanchette, answered questions.

At 7:59 p.m., the committee suspended.

       At 8:05 p.m., pursuant to rule 12-16(1)(d), the committee resumed in camera to discuss a draft report.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, the committee continued its examination of the Supplementary Estimates (C) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2023.

It was agreed that each committee member be allowed to have one staff member remain present during the in camera portion of the meeting.

It was agreed that the discussion on the draft report of the Supplementary Estimates (C) report be postponed to a later date.

At 8:28 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Mireille K. Aubé

Clerk of the Committee