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House Hansard - 75

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 19, 2022 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 75 - May/19/22
Hon. Filomena Tassi
  • May/19/22 7:15:15 p.m.
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Madam Chair, this is a very important part of the portfolio for me, to ensure that we level the playing field and give all business leaders an opportunity to enter into procurement with the federal government. I think it is really important that we listen. This is why I have had the opportunity to set up round tables and hear directly from business leaders and from those who have established a desire to work with the government, but have felt that they have faced some obstacles. These discussions have been very helpful, in terms of providing us with feedback on what things have been working, and how we need to move forward. I have met with diverse groups and really appreciate the feedback. One of the areas was the coaching pilot. We held a coaching pilot that talked to business leaders about how to be successful in their procurement bids, and offered training and assistance. Afterward, I had an opportunity to speak with those business leaders who experienced the coaching pilot. I can tell members that they were all grateful. They said it was helpful in terms of better understanding, recognizing and feeling supported and that they would like to see projects like that continue. These pilots, round tables and discussions have been very helpful. We are going to continue to work toward levelling the playing field because, at the end of the day, we know that when we allow all businesses an opportunity to enter into procurement, we all benefit. It is not just the moral and right thing to do; it is also the economically smart thing to do.
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Mr. Anthony Housefather
  • May/19/22 7:17:16 p.m.
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Madam Chair, our government is committed to renewing and strengthening its economic relationship with indigenous entrepreneurs and communities by providing increased economic opportunities to first nations, Inuit and Métis businesses through the federal procurement process. Our government announced the implementation of a mandatory requirement for federal departments and agencies to ensure that a minimum of 5% of the total value of contracts is held by indigenous businesses. This requirement includes public reporting and will be phased in over three years, beginning this year, with a number of federal departments that are ready to immediately begin this work, with full implementation expected by 2024. From March 2020 to March 2022, Public Services and Procurement Canada, as a common service provider, has awarded $1.3 billion through 1,744 contracts to indigenous suppliers. Can the minister tell the House more about the efforts to achieve this mandatory target, and what she is hearing from indigenous business leaders and partners?
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Hon. Filomena Tassi
  • May/19/22 7:18:18 p.m.
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Madam Chair, this is a really important initiative, and what I will say is that we are making great headway in this regard. With regard to indigenous businesses, we want to encourage them. We want to provide them with the tools and the support that they need. They are very pleased that we are collaborating. They are very pleased that we have commenced this initiative, and we look forward to continuing to work with indigenous businesses. What I would point out is that is the floor, not the ceiling.
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Mrs. Julie Vignola (Beauport—Limoilou, BQ)
  • May/19/22 7:18:59 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I thank the Minister of Public Services and Procurement for being here this evening. We are happy to have her. Madam Chair, how many full-time public servants work at Public Services and Procurement Canada?
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Hon. Filomena Tassi (Minister of Public Services and Procurement, Lib.)
  • May/19/22 7:19:16 p.m.
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Madam Chair, the response is 17,500.
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Mrs. Julie Vignola
  • May/19/22 7:19:23 p.m.
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Madam Chair, how many of those public servants work specifically on procurement?
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Hon. Filomena Tassi
  • May/19/22 7:19:29 p.m.
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Madam Chair, the procurement service workers are doing an absolutely fantastic job. I want to thank them. The full-time equivalent of procurement service workers is 2,193.
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Mrs. Julie Vignola
  • May/19/22 7:19:50 p.m.
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Madam Chair, how does the minister explain the challenges in tracking expenditures in areas such as air defence and the national shipbuilding strategy if there are so many procurement specialists? We often hear that it is difficult to do the tracking and that expenses are on the rise.
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Hon. Filomena Tassi
  • May/19/22 7:20:13 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I am proud of the work that our procurement specialists are doing. We have now navigated over two years through a pandemic that has descended upon this country and the world, but I am speaking about Canada because that is where I am the procurement minister. The work that procurement has done has been second to none. I think we need to take time to give them thanks and credit and all those procurement officials—
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The Assistant Deputy Chair
  • May/19/22 7:20:39 p.m.
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The hon. member for Beauport—Limoilou.
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Mrs. Julie Vignola
  • May/19/22 7:20:42 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I am not by any means questioning the work of officials. I am simply asking why it is hard to get the figures. Nevertheless, earlier, you were saying that spending is tracked very meticulously, you mentioned it just now. Why is it always so hard, either for a committee or for the Parliamentary Budget Officer, to get detailed expense reports and get clear answers to simple questions, such as explanations for cost overruns?
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The Assistant Deputy Chair
  • May/19/22 7:21:17 p.m.
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Before giving the floor to the minister, I would remind the hon. member to ask her questions through the Chair. The hon. Minister of Public Services and Procurement.
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Hon. Filomena Tassi
  • May/19/22 7:21:24 p.m.
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Madam Chair, with all due respect, I would disagree with the member's premise of the question. We always want to be accountable with the numbers and we will provide those numbers. If there are specific instances where the member is looking for certain numbers, then I would ask that she ask us—
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The Assistant Deputy Chair
  • May/19/22 7:21:41 p.m.
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I have to interrupt the minister. There does not seem to be any interpretation. Is it working now? Can you hear me now in French? I can now hear the interpreters. Apologies to the hon. minister.
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Hon. Filomena Tassi
  • May/19/22 7:22:14 p.m.
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Madam Chair, with all due respect, I would disagree with the premise of the member's question. We always want to be open and transparent with numbers. If there are certain situations where the member has not been able to get certain numbers, then I would encourage her to reach out to my team and we will provide the numbers that we are able to provide to her.
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Mrs. Julie Vignola
  • May/19/22 7:22:40 p.m.
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Madam Chair, just about every witness we heard from in committee has told us the same thing: The military procurement process is slow, inefficient and rife with political interference. Does the minister have a plan to fix this fiasco? Some witnesses think that a second department focused solely on military procurement may be needed. Does the minister believe that this would be useful and effective?
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Hon. Filomena Tassi
  • May/19/22 7:23:13 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I would repeat what I said earlier, which is that I believe that we are strong in defence procurement. In fact, members can look at what we are involved in right now: The most significant investment in the air force in 30 years is the purchase of 88 fighter jets. The first five ships have been delivered under the national shipbuilding strategy. Two-thirds of the projects under Strong, Secure and Engaged have been either implemented, completed or are near completion. That is a pretty strong record. In terms of defence procurement, I think we have a strong record.
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Mrs. Julie Vignola
  • May/19/22 7:23:52 p.m.
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Madam Chair, it would appear that businesses do not entirely agree with what the minister. That is their right. Many in government and in the private sector have pointed out how difficult it is to do business with the government, particularly when it comes to francophone SMEs. In the past year, what proportion of government tenders and contracts were written in both official languages?
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Hon. Filomena Tassi
  • May/19/22 7:24:25 p.m.
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Madam Chair, if anyone wants translation into French, then we would provide that. If the member is asking about specific contracts that currently exist in two different languages, I am happy to have my team follow up with her and provide her with those exact details. I do not have that number off the top of my head.
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Mrs. Julie Vignola
  • May/19/22 7:24:47 p.m.
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Madam Chair, we have talked about Cisco and sole-source procurement several times at the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates, and I have asked the minister about it. What concrete action have the department and the minister taken to ensure that the government receives the best available prices for computer equipment?
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