ETHI Committee Meeting
Notices of Meeting include information about the subject matter to be examined by the committee and date, time and place of the meeting, as well as a list of any witnesses scheduled to appear. The Evidence is the edited and revised transcript of what is said before a committee. The Minutes of Proceedings are the official record of the business conducted by the committee at a sitting.
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Minutes of Proceedings
Steve de Eyre made a statement and, with David Lieber, answered questions.
On motion of Iqra Khalid, it was agreed, — That, given the time restraint, members be authorized to send written questions to today’s witnesses; that the members submit their written questions to the clerk of the committee no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 20, 2023; that the witnesses provide their written answers to the clerk one week prior to the reception of the questions.
Michael Barrett moved, — That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(h) and in light of the new information revealed through whistleblower complaints, regarding the one-billion-dollar fund awarded by the government to Sustainable Development Technologies Canada to deliver taxpayer money to the green tech sector, the committee dedicate six meetings to this matter and hear testimony from the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, the Minister of the Environment, the Minister of Finance, and that the committee order the government to produce all documents related to this program, including emails, briefing notes, text messages, contracts, funding agreements, memorandums of understanding and any other document that the government has related to this program.
Debate arose thereon.
Mona Fortier moved, — That the motion be amended by replacing the words “six meetings” with the words “two meetings”.
Debate arose thereon.
The question was put on the amendment of Mona Fortier and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:
YEAS: Parm Bains, Pam Damoff, Mona Fortier, Matthew Green, Mike Kelloway, Iqra Khalid, René Villemure — 7;
NAYS: Michael Barrett, Jacques Gourde, Kyle Seeback — 3.
The committee resumed consideration of the motion, as amended, of Michael Barrett.
Mona Fortier moved, — That the motion be amended by deleting the words “the Minister of the Environment, the Minister of Finance”.
Debate arose thereon.
The question was put on the amendment of Mona Fortier and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:
YEAS: Parm Bains, Pam Damoff, Mona Fortier, Matthew Green, Mike Kelloway, Iqra Khalid, René Villemure — 7;
NAYS: Michael Barrett, Jacques Gourde, Damien C. Kurek — 3.
The committee resumed consideration of the motion, as amended, of Michael Barrett.
Mona Fortier moved, — That the motion be amended by replacing the words “all documents related to this program, including emails, briefing notes, text messages, contracts, funding agreements, memorandums of understanding and any other document that the government has related to this program” with the words “a copy of the report by Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton”.
Debate arose thereon.
The question was put on the amendment of Mona Fortier and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:
YEAS: Parm Bains, Pam Damoff, Mona Fortier, Matthew Green, Mike Kelloway, Iqra Khalid, René Villemure — 7;
NAYS: Michael Barrett, Jacques Gourde, Kyle Seeback — 3.
The committee resumed consideration of the motion, as amended, of Michael Barrett.
René Villemure moved, — That the motion be amended by adding after the words “Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry” the following: “, in order to assess a possible interference by the Minister and a possible conflict of interest of the Minister, ”.
Debate arose thereon.
On motion of René Villemure, it was agreed on division, — That the motion be amended by adding after the words “Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry” the following: “, in order to assess a possible interference by the Minister and a possible conflict of interest of the Minister, ”.
After debate, the question was put on the motion, as amended, and it was agreed to on division.
The motion, as amended, read as follows:
That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(h) and in light of the new information revealed through whistleblower complaints, regarding the one-billion-dollar fund awarded by the government to Sustainable Development Technologies Canada to deliver taxpayer money to the green tech sector, the committee dedicate two meetings to this matter; hear testimony from the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, in order to assess a possible interference by the Minister and a possible conflict of interest of the Minister; and that the committee order the government to produce a copy of the report by Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton.
It was agreed, — That the proposed budget in the amount of $22,250.00, for the study of use of social media platforms for data harvesting and unethical or illicit sharing of personal information with foreign entities, be adopted.
It was agreed, — That members be allowed to submit written questions for TikTok to the clerk of the committee no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 20, 2023; and that TikTok provide written responses to the questions to the clerk of the committee no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 27, 2023.
At 7:04 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.