OGGO Committee Meeting
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Minutes of Proceedings
Conservative
Bloc Québécois
Michel Bédard made a statement and, with Marie-Sophie Gauthier, answered questions.
It was agreed, — That the committee proceed to sit in public.
At 2:02 p.m., the sitting was suspended.
At 2:10 p.m., the sitting resumed in public.
It was agreed, — That, in relation to the study of the National Shipbuilding Strategy, the proposed budget in the amount of $79,619.73, for the committee's travel to Québec, QC, Lévis, QC, and Halifax, NS, in spring-summer 2024, be adopted.
It was agreed, — That, in relation to the study of the National Shipbuilding Strategy, the proposed budget in the amount of $95,255.93, for the committee’s travel to Vancouver, BC, and Victoria, BC, in spring-summer 2024, be adopted.
Andrew Scheer moved, — That the committee report to the House that, given that,
(i) GC Strategies' owners, Kristian Firth and Darren Anthony, were issued summonses on November 2, 2023, compelling their appearance before the committee on December 5, 2023, and refused to testify, and new summonses were issued for them to appear by February 9, 2024, and again GC Strategies' owners refused to testify before the committee,
(ii) the Auditor General revealed that GC Strategies received nearly $20 millions in government contracts on ArriveCAN alone, double what was orginally projected,
(iii) the Government of Canada has $250 millions in contracts with GC Strategies listed on its website, but claims they cannot confirm the accuracy of this amount as the website is prone to error, casting further doubt on how much this two person IT company has received since their company formed in 2015, and
(iv) the RCMP is investigating the contracting links to ArriveCAN and has met with the Auditor General concerning her findings in the ArriveCAN audit,
The committee recommend that an order of the House do issue requiring Kirstian Firth and Darren Anthony each to appear before the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates at dates and times determined by the Chair of the committee, but within 14 days of the adoption of this order, provided that, if the Chair of the commitee informs the Speaker and the Sergeant at Arms in writing that one or both have failed to appear as ordered,
(a) the Sergeant at Arms shall take Kristian Firth, Darren Anthony or both of them as the case may be, into his custody for the purposes of enforcing their attendance before the committee at dates and times determined by the Chair of the committee, for which the Speaker shall issue his warrant accordingly;
(b) the Sergeant at Arms shall discharge from his custody a witness taken into his custody, pursuant to paragraph (a), upon (i) a decision of the committee releasing the witness from further atteandance, or (ii) a further order of the House to that effect and
(c) the Speaker shall inform the House, at the earliest opportunity, of developments in this regard.
Debate arose thereon.
At 2:34 p.m., the sitting was suspended.
At 2:35 p.m., the sitting resumed.
The debate on the motion of Andrew Scheer continued.
At 2:42 p.m., the sitting was suspended.
At 3:06 p.m., the sitting resumed.
The debate on the motion of Andrew Scheer continued.
Garnett Genuis moved, — That the motion be amended:
(a) by adding after the words “dates and times determined by the Chair of the committee", in both places where they appear, the following: "and with such accessibility accommodations which the witnesses may request and the Chair agree to provide"; and
(b) by replacing the number "14" with "21".
Debate arose thereon.
Julie Vignola moved, — That the motion be amended by adding: (a) after the words: “concerning her findings in the ArriveCAN audit”, the words: “In order to see the witnesses in committee to testify, those steps are requested: First step:”; (b) after the words: “by the Chair of the committee, but”, the words: “but within twenty-one days”; (c) after the words: “of the adoption of this Order”, the words: “and with such accessibility accommodations the witnesses may request and the Chair agrees to arrange. Second step”; and (d) before the words: “if the Chair of the Committee informs the Speaker and the Sergeant at Arms in writing”, the words: “After those twenty-one days”.
Debate arose thereon.
At 4:00 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.