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Results: 121 - 135 of 175
View Heather McPherson Profile
NDP (AB)
Okay, thank you.
Minister, when you learned that your executive director had agreed to share a job offer from Facebook, did you investigate whether this practice violated the values and ethics code for the public sector? If you did, what were the conclusions of that, please?
View Steven Guilbeault Profile
Lib. (QC)
I did ask the department to look into the matter. Obviously this is not political staff. Since it's someone from the ministry, I turn to the deputy minister for answers on that.
Hélène, you could provide the member with the response that you gave me on that.
Hélène Laurendeau
View Hélène Laurendeau Profile
Hélène Laurendeau
2021-01-29 13:19
I reviewed a fax associated with that email as a first step. I can assure the committee that we came to the conclusion that sharing publicly available information is not a reprehensible act.
I would also add that we are taking to heart issues regarding values and ethics. We have a very solid framework of prevention and follow-up on those matters. I am very confident that my staff are meeting the highest standards with respect to conflict of interest, values and ethics.
View Heather McPherson Profile
NDP (AB)
Madame Laurendeau, could you clarify too, in terms of your conclusions from that, whether you have advised the staff to not share these sorts of postings in the future?
Hélène Laurendeau
View Hélène Laurendeau Profile
Hélène Laurendeau
2021-01-29 13:20
My conclusion was that sharing publicly available information is not a reprehensible act. While I had a conversation with staff, there was nothing that needed to be addressed specifically with respect to that information.
View Steven Guilbeault Profile
Lib. (QC)
She just told you that it doesn't violate any code of ethics or best practices from the government, so I think that from that you can't say, well, it may not be advisable. Does that violate any code of ethics—
View Steven Guilbeault Profile
Lib. (QC)
—or code of conduct? The answer is no. How many times did it happen in the last year? Once, that particular instance.
I take issue with the fact that we would question the ethical value of our civil service in Canada based on something that's simply not there and that we would—
View Kevin Waugh Profile
CPC (SK)
Thank you, Minister, and department heads.
I just wanted to pick up on the conversation here of Mr. Kevin Chan and his email to Owen Ripley, a high-up official in the minister's office.
Minister, with all due respect, your introduction today talked about what you're going to do with BillC-10, hate speech and media. Directly, when you look at it, Facebook is involved in this. There are major potential implementations to Facebook in the work of your department.
That's why I think we brought it up today—we just flagged it for you and I have the conflict of interest framework in front of me—and that's all we're asking. The values and ethics code applies to all staff, regardless of level, and most of the provisions, as you know, are based on the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat.
We're not questioning anybody civil service-wise. We're trying to, in this case...“report in writing to their deputy head any conflict of interest resulting from firm offers of employment and other activities related to their duties”. It's in here.
That's what we were just talking about. You're dealing with Facebook more than anybody in the government and we're concerned when we see a personal email from Kevin Chan to one of your employees in the department. This is too cozy.
As opposition members we're concerned with this. I would like you to comment on that. I know you've only been a minister for a year or so, but this does not look good. If you don't mind me saying, it smells when Facebook, which you will have a major implementation with in the coming months, is sending personal emails to your staff.
View Steven Guilbeault Profile
Lib. (QC)
Of course, we in the department talk with Facebook on these issues, but we also speak with the National Council of Canadian Muslims, the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, la Fédération des femmes du Québec, the World Sikh Organization, the Chinese national council for social justice, Amnesty International and the Anti-Hate Network. When drawing up legislation, we try to gather as diverse as possible points of view and opinions on an issue so that we can better inform the legislation that we will do.
I am a strong believer in the benefits of technologies, but we also have to recognize that many technologies have a perverse impact. We've seen that throughout the years. I think our role as legislators is to maximize the benefits to society of these technologies while trying to minimize those perverse impacts. I am on record saying that when Facebook threatened Australia with cutting ties with the Australian public on Facebook because of what Australia was trying to do in terms of legislation, it was no less than bullying. In fact, we have an upcoming meeting with France, Australia and Germany to see how we can work together on issues relating to GAFA.
Yes, we meet with these companies, but we meet with a whole range of different intervenors on these issues. What we're working on with the department is what will be in the best interest of Canadians, regardless of what the social media platforms, Facebook or others, think about it.
View Heather McPherson Profile
NDP (AB)
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I have a few questions. First of all, I take deep offence to the idea that I am in fact trying to score points. I'd like to point out that as a member of the opposition, my goal in my role and my job is actually to hold the government to account and to ensure that there are no unfortunate or inappropriate relationships. That's my job. I'm not scoring political points. Considering the work that this committee will be doing and considering the close relationship with Facebook, it is vital that I actually do take that on.
I want to just be very clear. This is a question for the minister. I would prefer if he answered.
Has your political staff ever circulated a job offer from Facebook, Amazon, Netflix or Google since you took office as the Minister of Heritage?
View Peter Julian Profile
NDP (BC)
Thank you very much.
I have to move on to Mr. Stratton. I'm a long-time member of the New Westminster Chamber of Commerce and a proud member of the Burnaby Board of Trade.
What small business people raise consistently is that web giants and companies outside Canada are not paying any corporate tax at all. Is the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in favour of levelling the playing field and forcing the web giants to actually pay corporate taxation and pay their fair share in Canada?
Trevin Stratton
View Trevin Stratton Profile
Trevin Stratton
2020-12-11 13:51
We are certainly in favour of the digital sales tax that was just announced.
When it comes to corporate taxes, I think it's very important to understand that there is also an international conversation taking place at the OECD as part of the larger BEPS process for taxation where they're discussing this very issue of corporate taxation for digital technology companies.
Our position has always been that we need to defer to what is decided multilaterally and internationally, instead of going on our own and making a made-in-Canada approach and then having another international system that becomes the standard that we have to adapt to later on.
View Peter Julian Profile
NDP (BC)
Thanks, Mr. Chair.
During this pandemic, we've seen banks earning $29 billion and we've seen Canada's billionaires now increase their wealth by over $53 billion. So far, the only reply that you've had for us, Minister Freeland, is a partial closing of the stock option loophole, and we know that is something the government has been promising now for five years.
The question is very simple. At a time when it should be a shared sacrifice, at a time when everybody should be paying their fair share, why is this government so opposed to a wealth tax like the ones other countries have put in place, an excess profits tax like we had in place in the Second World War to avoid profiteering, or even letting the web giants pay their fair share?
I know your reply will be that, well, the consumers will be paying GST/HST. The reality is that the web giants are not paying the corporate income tax. They are tax-free competition, undermining many of our Canadian businesses.
I still am struggling with why the government seems to be opposed to solutions that would actually provide more resources so that we can provide what Canadians need in this time of pandemic and in the important rebuilding that will last for years afterward.
Results: 121 - 135 of 175 | Page: 9 of 12

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