SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 222

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
September 21, 2023 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 222 - Sep/21/23
Mr. Garnett Genuis
  • Sep/21/23 12:05:08 p.m.
  • Watch
  • Re: Bill C-33 
Mr. Speaker, the government right now, through this bill, is asking for more power. It is saying it wants to be able to exercise greater influence over ports, and particularly over the process of appointments. It wants to take over what has historically been the role of the board itself, to select its chair. The government wants to appoint that chair itself. The government is coming to Parliament asking for more power when it comes to appointments. If we are going to evaluate that desire for power, I think it is important to look at how the government has used this power in the past. We can see with the vast powers of appointment the federal government already has that there have been many instances of clearly partisan filters as opposed to competence filters being applied by the government, whether in an attempt to manage away sensitive issues by appointing people who are close to the Prime Minister or by looking at who has donated to the Liberal Party when considering appointments. I do not think it is reasonable for a government that has so clearly failed to demonstrate a commitment to competency in appointments to then come back and ask the House to give it more power in the area of appointments.
213 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 222 - Sep/21/23
Mr. Dave Epp (Chatham-Kent—Leamington, CPC)
  • Sep/21/23 12:17:48 p.m.
  • Watch
  • Re: Bill C-33 
Mr. Speaker, I want to ask a fairly narrowly focused question regarding the leadership of the port authorities. What is the thought process behind the ministerial appointment of a chair as opposed to having it be more locally governed? That seems to add a layer of process. Timing and delays are ostensibly what we are trying to address here. Are there some service standards around the timing of ministerial appointments? What is the basic reason for that change away from local authorities?
82 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 222 - Sep/21/23
Mr. Vance Badawey
  • Sep/21/23 12:33:54 p.m.
  • Watch
  • Re: Bill C-33 
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member's involvement in the Great Lakes issues as well, and I thank him for that. This is a whole-of-government approach. Essentially, when we look at appointing people to different authorities, and I want to mention that these authorities are federal government authorities, there is a lot of communication that happens between the federal government, the minister, the whole of government, different departments, as well as the authority itself. I would anticipate and expect that when appointments are made, like all appointments that are being made, there will be a great deal of discussion with the authority itself and the partners that we work with almost on a daily basis. With that said, the right person will be chosen for those positions that would otherwise by appointed by the minister.
137 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border