QUESTION PERIOD — Global Affairs
Peace, Order and Good Government
December 3, 2024
Senator Gold, during the 2019 federal election, the Liberal Party promised to create a Canadian centre for peace, order and good government to expand the availability of Canadian expertise and assistance in good governance.
I recently received a written answer to my question on the Order Paper and Notice Paper regarding the status of the centre. The written answer shows that the government does not know when it will be operational, where it will be located or even how many staff it will employ. That is all still under consideration five years later.
Despite this, the answer states that Global Affairs Canada has spent over $814,000 from their budget on this centre. Leader, how is this possible?
Thank you for your question.
We all remember what happened from 2019 to the present. We all understand — as those of you who have been in government before understand — that priorities not only do change but have to change as the world changes.
The advent of the pandemic, the enormous investment that the government made in supporting our Canadian workers’ families and businesses, the consequences to our fiscal position and the need to address certain other matters have made it — clearly, as the answer to your question reveals — that this plan, meritorious though it is, has not been moved forward as a result. That planning was done and —
Senator Gold, the written answer I received also states that external consultants have received contracts worth $23,000 in relation to the centre. Leader, will you be able to table a breakdown of how your government has spent this $814,000?
I will certainly raise this question with the relevant minister.
Again, let me repeat that planning was initiated for a project that, because of changing circumstances, has not advanced any further. It is simply an example of the government responding to changing circumstances and — as I remind us — of a rather dramatic scope.
