Shared Services Officials Appearance for Standing Committee on Public Accounts Auditor General's Report on the Cybersecurity of Personal Information in the Cloud

Table of Contents

Primary Responses

1. Opening Remarks
2. Q&A

Cloud and Cybersecurity

3. Response to AG Report
4. Cloud Framework Agreement Overview
5. Cybersecurity Related to Cloud Services
6. Cyber Defence to SDAs
7. Cyber Security Overview
8. Cyber Security Procurement Overview

Procurement

9. General Procurement
10. Greening Government
11. Agile Procurement
12. Outsourcing
13. ArriveCAN

Other

1. Hybrid / Return to Worksites
2. SSC Population
3. Next Generation HR & Pay Initiative
4. Enterprise Mobile Device Management
5. Social Media
6. SSC Telecommunication Services

Support Documentation

7. Auditor General’s Report
8. SSC Management Action Plan
9. TBS Management Action Plan
10. PSPC Management Action Plan
11. Cloud Adoption Strategy
12. Committee Members’ Biographies

Opening Remarks

Sony Perron President
Shared Services Canada (SSC)

To the Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report 7, Cybersecurity of Personal Information in the Cloud, of the 2022 Reports 5 to 8 of the Auditor General of Canada

March 30, 2023

• Thank you, Mr. Chair and members of the committee, for your invitation.
• I am pleased to be here today, accompanied by Costa Theophilos, Director General of Cloud Product Management and Services, to address any questions the Committee may have with respect to the Auditor General’s Audit and Shared Services Canada’s (SSC) progress on addressing the recommendations.
• Consistent with its commitment to provide modern and secure IT infrastructure, SSC is continuously modernizing the Government of Canada’s IT infrastructure. In this effort, SSC has taken an enterprise approach, which means we continue to consolidate, standardize, and modernize networks and systems across government.
• It is essential that we keep pace with ever-changing technology and increased cyber threat activity. As such, over the past few years, we have significantly adopted digital solutions, including leveraging the cloud environment.
• Cloud adoption is a shared responsibility across the Government of Canada. SSC provides controlled and secure access to the cloud environment at the enterprise scale. Precisely, SSC enables cloud adoption by departments and agencies by providing access to critical building blocks, such as supply, secure cloud-to-ground network connectivity, and guidance and expertise.
• In that vein, SSC works with departments to migrate their data and applications from aging data centres to modern infrastructures, such as the Cloud and enterprise data centres. This accelerates the modernization of applications in an agile, secure and cost-effective way.
• Protecting the information of Canadians is a top priority for SSC. This is why a common approach across departments and agencies is important.
• We are still in the early stages of cloud adoption, and enhancement and maturing of processes and protocols are expected.
• While there is no such thing as zero risk when it comes to cyber threats, we are ensuring that the highest levels of protection are in place.
• It is important to note that all information is stored in Canada and the most sensitive information is stored in Government of Canada owned data centers.
• We welcome the report and recommendations of the Auditor General. This audit is helping to strengthen the operating framework for cloud services.
• This is particularly important at a time where the reliance on the cloud environment is increasing.
• SSC has a role in four of the five recommendations included in the Audit.
• For recommendation one, SSC is working closely with the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) to strengthen guardrail validation and enforcement and to ensure coordination with departments.
• Cloud Guardrails set the minimum security requirements that departments need for the configuration and the operations of their cloud environment. This includes how data is managed and where it is stored.
• SSC has begun the automation of the Government of Canada guardrails to assess compliancy in real time. This will be tested with pilot departments beginning in fall 2023.
• On the second recommendation, the Government of Canada set a minimum-security requirement for securing cloud-based information. SSC is working with departments to validate any outstanding cloud security controls.
• On the third recommendation, to address the issue of the cloud-funding model, SSC is working with TBS to review the way forward as it relates to cloud costing and recovery. It is expected that the proposed cost model will be available in April 2023.
• And on the fourth recommendation, SSC and Public Services and Procurement Canada will soon release a standard template for cloud contracts that include sustainability terms for cloud providers.
• In fact, SSC has started to include environmental criteria in competitive solicitations under the Cloud Framework Agreement. For example, some processes now include rated criteria, encouraging suppliers to set targets to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
• Going forward, SSC will include rated environmental criteria in all new competitive solicitations under the Government of Canada Cloud Framework Agreement.
• Mr. Chair and committee members, SSC works continuously to manage cloud security risks and to enhance cyber security so that Canadians' data and privacy are safeguarded.
• Thank you. I am pleased to take your questions.

Shared Services Canada Supplementary Q&As Audit of Protection of Personal Information in the Cloud

Contents

General

• Q1: How is the Government of Canada adopting the Cloud?
• Q2: How can organizations access Government of Canada cloud services?

Security and privacy

• Q3: How is the Government of Canada protecting Canadians’ personal information in the cloud?
• Q4: Who is responsible for ensuring that the security requirements are met?
• Q5: How is SSC protecting the GC Personal Information in the cloud?

Auditor General Report of Fall 2022

• Q6: In the fall 2022 report, the Auditor General indicated that there was a risk to personal information in the cloud. Was Canadians’ personal information compromised?
• Q7: How is SSC addressing the recommendations from the fall 2022 Auditor General’s report?
• Q8: What are GC cloud guardrails and how are they validated?

General

Q1: How is the Government of Canada adopting the Cloud?

A1: Work is under way to achieve a secure digital government that delivers high-value, essential digital services to Canadians and provides government employees with the digital tools they need to deliver these services.

Under the guidance of the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) Cloud Adoption Strategy, which was recently updated in January 2023, the government provides technical expertise and tools to guide departments and simplify cloud adoption.

This ensures that a variety of cloud services are available to meet the business needs of each organization.

As the centre of excellence for cloud services, SSC provides technical expertise and tools to guide customers and simplify cloud adoption.

Q2: How can organizations access Government of Canada cloud services?

A2: SSC connects departments with cloud service providers to deliver high-value and essential digital services to Canadians. All cloud services are accessible from one single location: the Canada Cloud Services Portal, which offers several benefits:

• Advice and support on service selections
• Demand forecasting and usage reporting
• Vendor management, account management and billing service
• Security monitoring
• Tools and templates

Security and privacy

Q3: How is the Government of Canada protecting Canadians’ personal information in the cloud?

A3: The protection and privacy of government data stored and processed in the cloud is a top priority. We, at SSC, work continuously to manage security risks and to enhance cyber security so that Canadians’ data and privacy are safeguarded.

There are measures in place that enforce where data resides and how it is controlled.

When Cloud Service Providers go through the GC procurement process, they must certify that they meet data residency and data sovereignty , as outlined in the terms and conditions. These conditions are important, as they help ensure that the data is stored in servers located in Canada and do not become subject to laws of other jurisdictions.

SSC works continuously with security partners to mitigate threats to the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data and business processes. It also conducts continuous monitoring to detect threats and ensure security controls remain effective.

Q4: Who is responsible for ensuring that the security requirements are met?

A4: Security in the Cloud is a shared responsibility between the government, the organizations using cloud services, and the Cloud Service Providers.

Role of the government

The government has a series of policy instruments to manage security risks in the cloud so that Canadians’ data and privacy are safeguarded. The Direction on the Secure Use of Commercial Cloud Services: Security Policy Implementation Notice highlights direction for departments to ensure risk is managed safely and baseline security controls are in place.

The government also develops and maintains cloud security controls as identified in the Government of Canada Security Control Profile for Cloud-based GC Services. This specifies the security controls that must be met by cloud service providers and departments to host government programs and services in the cloud and summarizes the context in which these security controls are expected to be implemented. These security controls are based on internationally recognized security certifications.

The government works with organizations to ensure that infrastructure systems are robust enough to perform the services required of them, now and in the future, and are hosted in modern and secure environments. Secure Cloud Enablement and Defense (SCED) is one way the GC enables organizational readiness for the cloud. SCED provides accessibility of the information stored, processed, and transmitted in the cloud while improving the GC’s security posture by implementing more comprehensive and robust security measures to prevent, detect, respond to, and recover from cyber threats. SCED secures the network connectivity between the cloud environment and the GC network, addressing the requirement for secure cloud connectivity and protection of GC secured workloads.

Role of organizations using the cloud

Organizations using the cloud are responsible for implementing policies and instruments to ensure the protection of information systems under their organization’s custody or control. These require organisations to review and identify their information holdings prior to using cloud services. Organizations are also required to have measures in place to monitor access to their cloud-based services.

Organizations using the cloud are expected to conduct a privacy impact assessment, in accordance with the Directive on Privacy Impact Assessment when they are planning to implement a cloud-based service that involves personal information to ensure that privacy concerns and risks are appropriately mitigated.

Role of cloud service providers

Cloud services providers (CSP) must clearly document the security controls and features implemented within their cloud services so the government can ensure that the environment is secure.

The Government of Canada Cloud Security Risk Management Approach and Procedures document outlines the key points for managing security risks when services are hosted on a cloud environment provided by a cloud service provider.

Pre-approved CSPs are required to ensure their data centres are hosted in Canada, and they must agree to meet government security policy requirements through the contracting process. The contracts contain terms and conditions that bind the vendors to their obligations to implement government security requirements.

CSPs must also successfully undergo the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security Cloud Service Provider Information Technology Security Assessment Process.

Q5: How is SSC protecting GC Personal Information in the cloud?

A5: The protection and privacy of the Government of Canada data stored and processed in the cloud is a top priority for SSC.

To securely consume cloud services, each department must implement and maintain specific minimum set of controls that departments must implement to prevent and detect cyber threats, known security guardrails.

SSC is working with government organizations to ensure that infrastructure systems are robust and perform the services required of them, now and in the future, and are hosted in modern and secure environments.

SSC is enabling departments to migrate applications to the cloud by providing the network safeguards required to connect the GC to the cloud, while actively monitoring adherence to security requirements.

Measures are in place to enforce where data resides and how it is controlled.

Auditor General Report of Fall 2022

Q6: In the fall 2022 report, the Auditor General indicated that there was a risk to personal information in the cloud. Was Canadians’ personal information compromised?

A6: It is important to note that the Auditor General’s report did not find that personal information of Canadians had been compromised or that security breaches of personal information had occurred.

Shared Services Canada, Public Services and Procurement Canada, and Treasury Board Secretariat are working to address the recommendations identified in the Auditor General of Canada’s Independent Auditor’s Report from fall 2022, specifically the chapter on Cybersecurity of Personal Information in the Cloud.

• As it relates to cloud information hosting, this includes:
  • Enforcement of security requirements through contracting
  • Security guardrails validation process
  • Validation of vendor security compliance
• As it relates to environmental criteria for procuring cloud services, this includes:
  • SSC and Public Services and Procurement Canada will soon release a standard template for cloud contracts that include sustainability terms and conditions for cloud providers. These templates will be put in place in the summer of 2023.
  • SSC includes environmental criteria in new competitive solicitations under the Government of Canada Cloud Framework Agreement.

Q7: How is SSC addressing the recommendations from the Fall 2022 Auditor General’s report?

A7: Shared Services Canada (SSC) welcomes the results of the audit and the recommendations made by the Office of the Auditor General of Canada. This audit will help the Government of Canada (GC) strengthen its operating framework for cloud services.

Of the five recommendations included in the audit, SSC has a role in four of them.

Recommendation 1

In consultation with SSC and Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) should do the following: Extend the requirement for guardrails to cloud service provider contracts that stem from supply arrangements established by PSPC and clarify who is responsible for the initial validation and ongoing monitoring of cloud guardrail controls and what processes they should follow.

• SSC is working closely with TBS to strengthen guardrails validation and enforcement processes and clearly communicate requirements to departments.
• SSC is preparing to implement tools to automate guardrail monitoring for cloud service providers in the GC by April 2023 to consistently and accurately assess compliance.

Recommendation 2

In consultation with the Communications Security Establishment Canada, SSC, PSPC, and departments, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat should document and proactively communicate to any department that is using or contemplating cloud services the roles and responsibilities needed to design, implement, validate, monitor, coordinate and enforce the security controls needed to protect sensitive and personal information in the cloud. The secretariat should review and update these documented roles and responsibilities at least every 12 months.

• SSC is working with departments to validate any outstanding cloud security controls.
• The GC has set a minimum-security requirement for securing cloud-based information. Improvements are needed to strengthen its cyber-defence capabilities while departments are still in the early stages of moving data and applications to the Cloud.

Recommendation 3

TBS, in consultation with SSC and other departments, should:

• develop and provide a costing model to help departments make informed decisions about moving to the Cloud and determine whether additional resources and funding are required.
• help departments determine their long-term operational funding needs and support their access to funding so they can fulfill their evolving responsibilities for cloud operations, including securing sensitive information in the Cloud.
  • To address the issue of the cloud funding model, SSC is working with TBS to review the way forward as it relates to cloud costing and recovery. It is expected that the proposed cost model will be available in April 2023.

Recommendation 4

PSPC and SSC should include environmental criteria when procuring cloud services to support sustainability in procurement practices and contribute to achieving Canada’s net-zero goal.

• The current SSC Cloud Framework Agreement already incorporates the ability to include sustainability requirements in solicitations, and solicitations currently being issued under the framework now do include these requirements.
• SSC and PSPC will release by March 31, 2023, a standard template for cloud contracts that includes sustainability terms for cloud providers.
• Going forward, SSC will include rated environmental criteria in new competitive solicitations under the Government of Canada Cloud Framework Agreement.

Q8: What are GC cloud guardrails and how are they validated?

A8: The Government of Canada (GC) cloud guardrails set the minimum requirements that organizations need to meet for security and privacy in their cloud environments. As of May 2021, the cloud guardrails were formalized as a policy requirement under the Directive on Service and Digital.

There are 12 GC guardrails. SSC reviews all guardrails for compliance.

There are approximately 200 environments currently in operation. This number fluctuates as new environments are created or shut down.

Examples of such guardrails include, but are not limited to:

• protect the root or master account that was used to establish the cloud service.
• establish access control policies and procedures to manage administrative privileges.
• limit access to authorized users and Government of Canada devices.
• create role-based accounts to enable enterprise monitoring and visibility.
• establish policies to restrict sensitive Government of Canada applications and information to approved geographic locations.
• protect data at rest by default (for example, storage) for cloud-based applications.
• protect data transit networks by using appropriate encryption and network safeguards.

The GC cloud guardrails are validated by SSC. The process includes the validation of evidence packages provided by departments confirming their adherence to the protocols set out in the relevant security policies.

AG Report on Cybersecurity of Personal Information in the Cloud

Key Messages

• We accept the recommendations made by the Office of the Auditor General. This audit will help Shared Services Canada (SSC) strengthen its operating framework for cloud services.
• Protecting the government's systems and information is a shared responsibility across three organizations: SSC, the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) and the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) through the Canadian Cyber Centre for Security (CCCS).
• SSC enables smart cloud adoption across departments so they can harness the benefits of cloud technology by providing:
  • an easy and secure access to cloud services
  • a secure network connection between government applications hosted in the cloud and government data centres
  • operational guidance and support.
• A number of strict security requirements, which includes cloud guardrails, must be met before departments can begin to store data in the cloud.

If pressed on cyber event management:‌

• The government has adopted an operational framework to manage potential cyber security events that could impact, or threaten to impact, its ability to deliver programs and services to Canadians.
• Cyber events include cyber threats, vulnerabilities or security incidents.
• SSC plays a key supporting role in the Government of Canada Cyber Security Event Management Plan, which is maintained by TBS. For example, SSC is part of the governance, with involvement in the event management and event coordination team, and actively participates in yearly tests and practices.

If pressed the Cloud:‌

• SSC acts as a centre of excellence for cloud services, providing technical expertise and tools to guide departments on cloud adoption.
• SSC provides guidance on security standards to support departments in their secure and agile adoption of cloud services.
• SSC is also automating the validation, monitoring, and reporting of the minimum set of controls that departments must implement to prevent and detect cyber threats. SSC is also establishing pilots to test their effective implementation.

If pressed on security:‌

• The protection and privacy of the government data stored and processed in the cloud is a top priority for SSC.
• To securely use cloud services, each department must implement and maintain specific security guardrails, which are a minimum set of controls that departments must implement to prevent and detect cyber threats.
• SSC is working with departments to ensure the systems are robust, perform the services required of them and are hosted in modern and secure environments.
• SSC continues to work closely with TBS to strengthen security validation and enforcement guardrails.
• Measures are also in place to enforce where data resides and how it is controlled.

Cloud Framework Agreement Overview

Key Messages

• Shared Services Canada (SSC) acts as a centre of excellence for cloud services across the government, providing technical expertise and tools to guide departments on cloud adoption.
• SSC provides departments with standardized cloud services, as well as standardized terms and conditions, that have been assessed by the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security and the Contract Security Program.
• In collaboration with the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) and the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, SSC established a method of supply where vendors are preselected to be included in our inventory of vetted cloud Service Providers.
• This allows the Government of Canada to securely buy cloud services. This method of supply provides access to eight preselected Cloud Service Providers, who were pre-vetted based on a number of requirements, including security.

If pressed on the method of supply:‌

• Standards have been adopted to support secure and agile adoption of cloud hosting services as a tool for departments to improve services to Canadians.
• Proportionately, the cloud represents a small percentage of application hosting solutions. Over 90% of all government applications are currently hosted in government managed data centres. However, the proportion of applications hosted in the cloud is expected to continue to increase.

If pressed on roles and responsibilities:‌

• SSC acts as the Technical Authority and the Contracting Authority. This means:
  • SSC is responsible for all matters concerning the technical content of the cloud services under each service order.
  • SSC's authorities and responsibilities include managing the list of vetted Cloud Service Providers, issuing and amending service orders, and providing guidance to departments to assist them in the secure use of cloud services.
• To securely consume cloud services, each department must implement and maintain specific security guardrails. Departments are responsible to ensure that mandatory security guardrails are implemented before a system can go live. SSC monitors and validates that departments have implemented the guardrails. TBS is responsible for the compliance function associated to these guardrails.
• To securely use cloud services, each department must implement and maintain specific security guardrails, which are a minimum set of controls that departments must implement to prevent and detect cyber threats.

If pressed on environmental criteria for procuring cloud services:‌

• SSC and Public Services and Procurement Canada will soon release a standard template for cloud contracts that include sustainability terms and conditions for cloud service providers. These templates will be put in place in summer 2023.
• In the meantime, SSC has already begun to include environmental criteria in new competitive solicitations.

Background

Framework Agreement‌

In 2019, following an extensive requirement analysis and competitive procurement process that spanned over five years, SSC, with the help of TBS and the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (CCCS) established a method of supply where vendors are preselected to be included in an inventory of vetted Cloud Service Providers. This allows departments to rapidly procure cloud services. To be added to the list, Cloud Service Providers had to be successfully assessed against security requirements and a supply chain integrity process.

First, the CCCS assessed whether the providers’ security processes and controls met the Government of Canada’s public cloud requirements for information and services having a security category of Protected B, medium integrity, and medium availability, as published by TBS. This security profile can be used for cloud-based services supporting a variety of non-national interest programs and services.

Service providers were then assessed against by CCCS to ensure that all products and services deployed onto the government's infrastructure safeguard the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of its data. As part of this robust process, CCCS first determines the sensitivity of the technology (e.g., the type of data processed may affect the attractiveness of the system to the cyber threat actors). Then, supplier confidence is assessed through criteria such as ownership (e.g., the location of a company's headquarters and operation centres) and cyber maturity (e.g., adherence to international technology standards). This allows the CCCS to determine whether the risk exposure from a specific supplier is acceptable, whether stronger mitigation needs to be put into place, or if an alternate technology or supplier needs to be selected.‌

This approach has been beneficial to provide departments with pre-approved services in a secure, flexible and streamlined way to quickly access Protected B cloud supply.‌

There are eight leading Cloud Service Providers on the pre-approved list:

• Amazon Web Services Inc.
• Google Cloud Canada Corporation
• IBM Canada Limited
• IPSS Inc., ServiceNow Inc. in Joint Venture
• Microsoft Corporation
• Oracle Canada ULC
• Salesforce Canada Corporation
• ThinkOn Inc.

Since the establishment of this method of supply, overall consumption has been growing. The total consumption for fiscal year 2019-20 was $1,395,709 and grew to $103,807,761 by fiscal year 2021-22. Consumption is shared across the eight Cloud Service Providers, in alignment with the needs of departments.

All pre-qualified suppliers and available cloud services are accessible at the GC Cloud Services Portal.

Today, 81 departments and agencies are using this method of supply and have adopted the Cloud. The five departments with the highest consumption of cloud services to date in 2022-23 are:

• Statistics Canada
• Communications Security Establishment
• Employment and Social Development Canada
• Health Canada
• Shared Services Canada.

Increases in cloud consumption over the last two fiscal years have enabled the government to deliver Canadian centred services such as the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and Vaccine Connect.

Other levels of government can and do make use of this method of supply with the pre-approved list. A few examples are:

• Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
• Halton Region
• Government of British Columbia
• Board of Education of a School District in Vancouver

Cybersecurity Related to Cloud Services

Key Messages

• The protection and privacy of government data stored and processed in the cloud is a top priority for SSC.
• SSC is working to achieve a secure digital government that delivers essential digital services to Canadians through an enterprise approach, aligned to government-wide IT service standards.
• As part of the Government of Canada Information Technology Security Tripartite, SSC works alongside the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) and the Office of the Chief Information Officer at the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS- OCIO) to maintain and improve the government's cyber security posture. TBS- OCIO sets administrative policy and common standards. CSE executes perimeter protection and monitoring. SSC provides defensible and resilient infrastructure. Collectively, the Security Tripartite is committed to a whole of government vision and plan for cyber security.
• Departments that use cloud services remain accountable for the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive information and IT services that they contract for hosting by a Cloud Service Provider.
• SSC works with departments to ensure that infrastructure systems are robust and perform the services required of them, now and in the future, and are hosted in modern and secure environments.

If pressed:‌

• Secure access to cloud services is among the array of services provided by SSC to departments.
  • SSC's "Secure Cloud Enablement and Defence" (SCED) secures the network connectivity between the cloud and on-premises government secured workloads. For departments which are bringing digital services to Canadians and process sensitive information on-premises and in the cloud, the SCED is a secure pipe that provides more comprehensive and robust security measures to prevent, detect, and respond to cyber threats.
• The government is still in the early stages of its adoption of the Cloud, and enhancement and maturing of processes and protocols are underway.

If pressed on the findings of the audit:‌

• SSC is working with TBS to strengthen security guardrails validation and enforcement processes and to clearly communicate requirements to departments.
• Over the past several months, SSC has worked with departments to ensure compliance with all mandatory cloud security controls.
• SSC is preparing to automate deployment of the Government of Canada security guardrails to assess compliance consistently and accurately. Automating compliance will improve effectiveness of both time and costs to support the process. Additionally, these changes will improve oversight and accuracy of reporting, resulting in improved decision making. This will be tested with pilot departments beginning in fall 2023.

If pressed on SSC's role:‌

• SSC is a cloud broker. It provides access to pre-qualified Cloud Service Providers through its Framework Agreement.
• Departments using the Cloud through the SSC Cloud Brokering Services must complete a series of onboarding checkpoints to prove that cloud security controls are in place to protect sensitive data up to the standard for Protected B in confidentiality, medium level for integrity and medium level for availability.
• Departments are responsible for ensuring that mandatory security guardrail controls are implemented before a system goes live. SSC monitors and validates that departments have implemented the guardrails and TBS-OCIO is responsible for the compliance function.

Cyber Defence Services for Small Departments and Agencies (SDA)

Key Messages

• To protect the other departments and agencies, SSC, in collaboration with security partners, increases the overall information technology security of the Government of Canada. We are doing this through services such as perimeter defence, vulnerability management, supply chain integrity, and an integrated cyber and information technology security program.
• SSC has been working with Small Departments and Agencies (SDAs) on an approach to improve the security of their networks since 2018.
• Budget 2022 announced that SSC and the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) would be allocated $178.7 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, and $39.5 million ongoing to expand cyber security protection for small departments and agencies, and Crown corporations.
• With this new funding, SSC will be able to expand its offerings to 43 SDAs with a bundle of network, security and digital services that improves their security posture.

If pressed:‌

• SSC initiated the development of a rollout strategy based on the state of readiness of each SDA for key network, security and digital services. The work for networking services is already underway for 11 SDAs.
• SSC's networks, security and digital services include four core services:
  • Enterprise Internet Service
  • Local Internet Access Service
  • Enterprise Email as part of Microsoft 365
  • GC Secure Remote Access.
• Each of the services in the bundle is distinct but complementary. Together, they will enable SDAs to improve their cybersecurity posture through:
  • enhanced monitoring of Internet traffic in both directions
  • SSC-provisioned firewalls for remote sites
  • secure remote connectivity to the GC
  • improved detection and prevention of cyber threats

Background

Cyber Events

Cyber security is a shared responsibility between SSC, CSE, and the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS), commonly referred to as the Cyber Security Tripartite. When a cyber security event occurs within its network infrastructure, SSC and its partners coordinate to determine root causes, limit impact and undertake recovery. This is also true for SSC-managed components in the cloud.

While SSC is working to onboard 43 SDAs to its network and security services, each organization remains responsible for the security of their IT systems and networks until they are transitioned.

Once SDAs are onboarded to SSC’s networks and security services, cyber events become a shared responsibility between the Tripartite and the affected department(s) and/or agency(ies).

Some SDAs are not part of the Budget 2022 funding to extend networks, security and digital services. However, as has always been the case, these organizations can access SSC’s services on an optional cost-recovery basis. Agents of Parliament, which are independent or at arms-length from the core public service and Parliament, may also access SSC’s services on an optional cost-recovery basis.

Cybersecurity Overview

Background

Explaining Shared Services Canada's (SSC) role in addressing cybersecurity, which is a shared responsibility with other agencies, such as the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat – Office of the Chief Information Officer (TBS-OCIO) and the Communications Security Establishment (CSE), which holds the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (CCCS).‌

Suggested response

• SSC works diligently to keep networks safe, secure and accessible for Canadians.
• SSC applies cyber security measures to identify and prevent malicious actors from gaining access to government networks by using firewalls, network scans, anti-virus, anti-malware, identification and authentication tools and services.
• Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility between SSC, the Communications Security Establishment, the Treasury Board Secretariat as well as departments and agencies.
• When a cybersecurity event occurs, SSC and its partners coordinate to determine root causes, limit impact and undertake recovery.
• SSC supports the effective design, delivery and management of IT security initiatives.

If pressed on current and future cyber security investments:‌

• The government is investing $515.8 million over 6 years for SSC, CSE, and TBS to address the rapidly evolving cyber threat landscape.
• The proposed funding will help:
  • support cloud security at SSC
  • expand cyber security protection for small departments and agencies
  • support SSC's security information and event management system
  • modernize the government's approach to cyber security
  • support TBS's associated efforts to reinforce government cyber security
• SSC's responsibilities include government networks, email, data centres, and classified IT infrastructure.

If pressed on SSC's responsibility vs. that of CSE:‌

• Although most security systems used to protect the government's IT infrastructure are designed and managed by SSC, CSE also uses an array of its own complementary solutions to supplement the SSC-managed security systems.
• While SSC provides IT security infrastructure, CSE monitors government systems and networks for malicious activities and cyber-attacks and leads the government's operational response to cyber security events.

If pressed on any particular cyber event (e.g., Exchange Vulnerability, Log4j, Print Nightmare, GAC Incident, NRC Incident):‌

• SSC has people, technology and processes in place to safeguard systems, and works collaboratively with TBS, CSE and federal departments to detect and respond to cyber threats.
• When a cybersecurity event occurs, SSC and other federal departments coordinate to determine root causes, limit impact and undertake recovery.
• The risk of cyberattacks is persistent and requires constant vigilance.

Cybersecurity Procurement Overview

Background

In an article published by “IT World Canada” on March 13, 2023, relays claims made by Christyn Cianfarani, CEO of the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI) that Canada’s allies buy more Canadian cybersecurity products than Ottawa does. Ms. Cianfrani notably mentioned that Canada’s Five Eyes allies buy three times as much as Ottawa does of Canadian cyber products and services. This statement is based on a statistical overview of Canadian cybersecurity industry activities in 2020, led by ISED.‌

Suggested response

• SSC procures goods and services in support of Government of Canada requirements using various agile and traditional procurement methods. This is done in a competitive, fair and transparent manner mostly through the Cyber Security Procurement Vehicle (CSPV).
• SSC's CSPV was established to pre-qualify vendors with the required cyber security capabilities to support a more streamlined procurement process. This list of Qualified Respondents (QRs) consists of a mix of Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), authorized resellers, and system integrators.
• CSPV encourages the development of emerging businesses and underrepresented businesses in the cybersecurity field and promotes a more diverse and inclusive approach to developing cybersecurity solutions through the implementation of socio-economic strategies.
• SSC's Cyber Security Procurement Vehicle makes it easier for Canadian underrepresented socio-economic groups to qualify to the vehicle by including alternate requirements for demonstrating experience by leveraging grants awarded through a host of programs including Innovation Solutions Canada or a Canadian post secondary institution.
• In FY 2021-2022, SSC awarded contracts to 431 different vendors. Of these contracts, 382 were Canadian, representing 89% of all contracts.
• In 2021-2022, there were 89 CSPV qualified vendors. Of those vendors, 91% are Canadian. Of the qualified CSPV vendors that had cybersecurity contracts with SSC, 89% are Canadian vendors.
• In 2021-2022, 99% of SSC’s total value of CSPV contracts were awarded to Canadian vendors, representing approximately $100M.

SSC – General Procurement

Key Messages

• In fulfilling its role to stabilize, maintain, and enhance digital capacity across government, SSC ensures that supplied goods are of high quality, procured at the best value and provided in a timely fashion.
• SSC conducts fair, open and transparent procurement processes in compliance with domestic and international Trade Agreements and within the government's procurement policy framework.
• Whenever possible, SSC uses competition to get the best value for Canadians and adheres to open government principles by proactively disclosing all contracts over $10,000.
• As IT service delivery is modernized, the Government of Canada is making procurement more agile, collaborative and inclusive to promote social values, as well as environmental sustainability.

If pressed on SSC procurement for other departments:‌

• SSC procures software in two different ways for other departments:
  • Enterprise software
  • Requests from other departments for business specific software.
    • These are usually smaller purchases, and are 100% funded by the departments, rather than SSC.
    • The requirements are defined by the departments and reviewed by SSC.

If pressed on sole sourcing:‌

• It is sometimes necessary for SSC to issue a non-competitive contract where equipment must be compatible with existing IT infrastructure, but such contracts are avoided wherever possible.

  In all instances, non-competitive procurement strategies are fully justified with a reference to the applicable exception to competitive bidding under the Government Contracts Regulations (GCRs) of the Financial Administration Act (FAA).‌

  With respect to procurements subject to one or more trade agreements, non-competitive procurement strategies are also justified using the limited tendering provisions of Canada's national and international trade agreements.‌

If pressed on transparency:‌

• In respect of open government principles, SSC proactively discloses all contracts with a value over $10,000 on a quarterly basis.
• Whenever amendments occur to a contract above $10,000, the details are also proactively published so that the information is available to Canadians.

If pressed on forced labour:‌

• SSC has been including the new anti-forced labour clauses since they were introduced in the Standard Acquisitions Clauses and Conditions (SACC) in early 2022.
• SSC incorporates anti-forced labour clauses when undertaking goods procurements for low dollar value, medium and high complexity requirements.
• SSC requires bidders to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Procurement when submitting a bid. In accordance with that Code, vendors and their sub-contractors are expected to respect their workers' workplace rights, take steps to mitigate human trafficking risks, and monitor compliance of labour and human rights in their supply chains.

Key Data Points

• In 2021-2022, 66% of SSC-funded contracts were awarded to SMEs for a value of $746 million.
• In 2021-2022, SSC awarded contracts to 323 different SMEs. Of these SMEs, 307 were Canadian, representing 95% of all SMEs.
• SSC exceeded the 5% Indigenous procurement target in 2021-2022 with a total value of 6.3% and a volume of 7.8% of SSC-funded contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses.

Background

In all instances where bids are not solicited, the legal authority to use an exception to soliciting bids must be fully justified with a reference to the applicable exception to competitive bidding which may apply under the Government Contracts Regulations.

With respect to procurements subject to one or more trade agreements, SSC may award a contract without soliciting bids only if one or more of the limited tendering reasons stated in each applicable trade agreement can be applied.

SSC also considers the provisions under Comprehensive Land Claim Agreements.

Government of Canada procurement activities are principally carried out pursuant to a governing framework comprised of statutes and regulations, trade agreements and policies, directives, procedures and guidelines, including the Standard Acquisition Clauses and Conditions (SACC) Manual.

Anti-forced labour clauses are included in the General Conditions (Goods) of the Standard Acquisitions Clauses and Conditions (SACC) Manual.

The Government of Canada expects vendors and their sub-contractors to uphold and promote international human and labour rights, including fundamental principles and rights at work covered by the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) eight fundamental conventions and the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises

The Code of Conduct for Procurement also incorporates the Government of Canada’s commitment to uphold the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. Vendors and their sub-contractors are expected to respect their workers’ workplace rights and take steps to mitigate human trafficking risks and monitor compliance of labour and human rights in their supply chain.

While work is already in motion to modernize procurement so that it is more agile, collaborative and inclusive, there are significant opportunities to continue to ‘buy better’ and transform how IT procurement and service delivery is done within Canada:

• Diversity and Inclusion: Establishing a model for IT procurements and service delivery to drive fair and inclusive business practices in Canada, level the playing field for SMEs, as well as Indigenous and underrepresented groups, and vendors operating across Canada, including in rural and remote communities, and broaden participation in IT service design and delivery.
• Greening Government Strategy: Sending strong market signals that the government is serious about protecting the environment, incentivizing an accelerated transition to greening and circularity for the IT sector and beyond by setting ambitious greening targets and requirements, and taking action to ensure new private sector accountabilities.
• Innovation, Growth and Digital Enablement: Strategically establishing SSC as a convener of IT innovators and service providers, a first-in-class adopter of emerging technology and IT infrastructure, and a catalyst for the digital enablement of all Canadians.

Green Procurement

Key Messages

• SSC supports commitments made in the Greening Government Strategy, including the transition to net-zero emissions by 2050 and the transition to a net- zero circular economy through green procurement.
• There are several areas where SSC has a direct positive environmental impact:
  • Lowering energy use
    • Data centres represent most of SSC's energy and water usage due to their need to be in constant operation to maintain the GC networks.
    • As part of the Data Centre Consolidation Initiative, SSC has closed 406 out of 720 legacy data centres and moved work to newer and more efficient Enterprise Data Centres. SSC has achieved LEED certification in 3 of its 4 new Enterprise Data Centres.
  • Greener procurement
    • SSC buys IT products that meet the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) ecolabel to help reduce environmental impacts.
    • SSC has begun to include preliminary Greenhouse Gas (GHG) reduction target language in procurement documents such as the Government of Canada Network Services Request for Supply Arrangements.
  • Cloud Service Providers
    • Current state
      • 7 of the 8 pre-selected vendors included in our inventory of vetted Cloud Service Providers have equal or enhanced targets compared with Canada's commitments of reducing emissions by 40%-45% by 2030 and achieving net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. The 8th vendor is in the process of establishing their GHG reduction commitment.
      • We continue to track the 8th Cloud Service Provider's progress in establishing their GHG reduction commitments.

    • By late March 2023‌

      • We will continue to support inclusion of environmental criteria in all cloud services competitive solicitation.
      • The discussions with pre-selected Cloud Service Providers for contract updates are beginning, and environmental criteria will be incorporated by default into the resulting contract clauses, regardless of the procurement strategy selected or overall value of the procurement.

Safe disposal of devices

• SSC participates in the Computer for Schools Plus program led by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), which donates computers and associated equipment. This helps delay e-waste’s entry into landfill.
• SSC also provides equipment in working condition to be sold on GCSurplus.
• SSC is pursuing a disposal strategy for mobile devices that would be environmentally friendly, while ensuring that the data stored is not exposed to any security threats. This is intended to lead to SSC launching its own mobile devices recycling program, which would be available to all partners.
• In 2021, SSC successfully applied to the Greening Government Fund. Through this fund, SSC will be investigating other ways to process end-of-life technology, preventing it from ever becoming e-waste.

Fleet

• SSC is implementing an action plan to support the Greening Government Strategy’s commitment that at least 75% of new light-duty fleet vehicle purchases will be zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) or hybrids. The ultimate objective is that by 2030, 100% of the government’s light-duty fleet will be made up of ZEVs.

Agile Procurement

Key Messages

• Shared Services Canada (SSC) is working closely with the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) and Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) on transformational IT procurements and is fostering a common understanding of agile procurements. There are several areas where SSC has a direct positive environmental impact.
• Under agile procurement, SSC is simplifying procurement by:
  • reducing barriers to entry for SMEs.
  • focusing on IT expertise by including IT vendor experts in the development of the solicitation and aligning the contracting processes.
• Specifically, SSC is:
  • leading ScaleUp, a social procurement pilot which simplifies the bidding process, with the objective to increase access to SSC procurements for micro and small enterprises
  • piloting an Agile Procurement Framework that systematically includes mechanisms to increase access to SSC procurements for small and medium enterprises. So far, over 17 agile contracts have been awarded, of which 83% went to small and medium enterprises, either as a single entity or as part of a joint venture
• SSC uses three agile procurement models:
  • Agile Procurement Process (APP3.0) for requirements valued at more than $500,000.
  • Tandem for low-dollar value contracts
  • ScaleUp, which targets micro and small enterprises owned or led by underrepresented groups and Indigenous peoples
• The pilot phase was successful, and SSC is currently preparing to deploy agile procurement more widely.
• SSC is also developing an ambitious development program: the Agile Procurement Learning Initiative (APLI). It will guide, train and support procurement officers to give them a more comprehensive understanding of agile and collaborative IT procurement methods.

Agile Procurement Descriptive Parameters (APP3.0)

Agile Procurement Process (APP) 3.0 is a non-traditional approach to procurement that aims to achieve better outcomes for the client by:

1. focusing on resolving a problem
2. being flexible and incremental and able to adapt to change
3. having technical, and contracting experts work together to develop a solicitation under the coaching of the agile procurement facilitator
4. relying on digitally enabled collaborative processes to integrate the private sector in the design of the procured technology
5. using evolving and scalable contracts
6. favouring demonstrations, proof of concept and prototype
7. integrating the end-user’s perspective in the selection process and resulting contract

Outsourcing IT Services

Key Messages

• SSC works to ensure the operation of secure, modern, and reliable government IT infrastructure and systems.
• SSC has established a robust process that involves assessing all potential options for successful delivery, with a focus on best practices, capacity, and existing solutions. We determine whether:
  • the solution can be built and operated in-house
  • the use of commercial solutions should be included
  • external expertise is needed to achieve the desired outcome
• Accessing some technologies through contracts enables SSC to provide cutting-edge products and services that are aligned with global best practices and offer extensive support and functionality to users.
• This practice allows SSC to access services or technologies that are best delivered by industry to provide secure and cost-effective solutions to meet the needs and expectations of a digital government.
• SSC leverages large-scale investments that industry has made in other public sectors and private markets, to obtain cost-effective, secure and reliable off-the- shelf products and highly specialized solutions.
• Examples of this include the government's approach to cloud services, which represents a fundamental shift in the way it delivers and consumes IM/IT services. Using private sector cloud-based service offerings allows for a secure, enterprise-wide platform that enables employees to work together remotely, from anywhere, consuming only the IT services they need, when they need them.

If pressed on the increase in professional services:‌

• In response to the increased demand for SSC's services in 2021-2022, the department had to increase its number of full-time equivalents, and incurred increased professional services expenditures
• From 2020-2021 to 2021-2022:
  • Vote netted revenue increased by $81.5 million, or 9%, showing the increased service demand from SSC's partners
  • SSC increased its number of full-time equivalents by 5.8%
  • Professional services expenditures increased by $47 million, or 12%

If pressed on management consultants:

• SSC is committed to providing high-quality services to Canadians while ensuring the best value for taxpayers. The procurement of professional services, including management consultant services, is, at times, needed to acquire special expertise. Work performed can be as diverse as providing advice on SSC's technology roadmaps, performing a third-party review on a business case, or providing additional support to SSC employees in developing processes (playbooks) and supporting tools for SSC enterprise services.
• SSC exercises due diligence when contracting for goods or services. All contracts are to be issued in accordance with the Treasury Board's policies, as well as regulations, guidelines and procedures.‌

If pressed on reasons for "outsourcing" technologies:‌

• As an example, it would be more costly to deliver and manage satellite services with in-house resources. Such a highly specialized domain where industry excels is better delivered by the private sector.
• Another example is the contract for the High-Power Computer that Environment and Climate Change Canada uses to generate environment and weather forecasts, advisories, and warnings. This is a highly specialized domain that would cost more if delivered internally.

If pressed on reasons for "outsourcing" work:‌

• SSC uses temporary professional services to support programs and projects that have defined time periods and require surge capacity for delivery.
• When needed, SSC will use additional resources from industry to complement its current program and project staff to support the planning and execution of those programs and projects.

Background

On January 17, 2022, the Globe and Mail published a report stating that federal government spending on outsourcing contracts had increased by 40% in the 2020-2021 fiscal year compared with the 2015-2016 fiscal year. This came from information publicly available in the Public Accounts of Canada, tabled in the House of Commons on December 14, 2021.

Although these recent media reports do not mention Shared Services Canada (SSC), it has been criticized in the past for outsourcing IT services.

In February 2022, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates (OGGO) adopted a motion to conduct a study on contract outsourcing in public services and procurement. The first meeting took place on October 3, 2022, attended by officials from SSC, the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS), and Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC).

SSC Public Accounts – Professional and Special Services Expenditures

Reporting Object	Description	2021-22	2020-21	2019-20
40	Business Services‌	$8,678,752.45‌	$6,512,763.06‌	$8,706,718.53‌
41‌	Legal Services‌	$1,330,400.36‌	$1,060,951.74‌	$975,276.00‌
42‌	Engineering and Architectural Services‌	$11,590,701.81‌	$10,538,264.22‌	$4,074,995.60‌
43‌	Scientific and Research Services‌	$54,250.00‌	$‌-	$21,700.00‌
44‌	Training and Educational Services‌	$15,682,827.41‌	$13,076,918.55‌	$12,335,658.49‌
45‌	Health and Welfare Services‌	$493,380.79‌	$98,278.52‌	$258,060.12‌
46‌	Protection Services‌	$5,123,403.08‌	$4,831,985.56‌	$4,247,251.94‌
47‌	Informatics Services‌	$235,369,164.85‌	$209,190,309.15‌	$178,186,101.63‌
48‌	Management Consulting‌	$151,000,528.90‌	$126,018,049.04‌	$83,951,159.96‌
82‌	Special Fees and Services‌	$703,645.77‌	$571,919.82‌	$477,815.30‌
86‌	Temporary Help Services‌	$69,058.29‌	$153,293.47‌	$270,659.51‌
87‌	Interpretation and Translation Services‌	$3,538,707.75‌	$3,115,272.53‌	$2,751,203.92‌
89‌	Other Services‌	$66,611.35‌	$11,455,020.13‌	$4,669,786.69‌
Grand Total‌		$433,701,432.81‌	$386,623,025.79‌	$300,926,387.69‌

Shared Services Canada (SSC) Involvement in ArriveCAN

Key Messages

• SSC's primary role has been to support the operations of ArriveCAN by enabling connectivity between the cloud and data centres.
• SSC did this by:
  • enabling the application to exchange information between the cloud solution and Government of Canada data centres
  • ensuring the connections were secure, and that the information of Canadians was protected

If pressed on SSC's role in application development:‌

• Shared Services Canada is only mandated to develop applications for its own department.
• SSC supports other organizations by ensuring that applications they develop are securely hosted in GC data centres or, if hosted in the cloud, can communicate securely with GC data centres.

If pressed on SSC contract for connectivity:‌

• One pre-existing contract was leveraged to provide backbone network connectivity, as disclosed in response to previous order paper questions, for a value of $87,000.

GC Readiness for Return to Worksite

Key Messages

• In response to the rapid growth in virtual work, Shared Services Canada (SSC) increased government-wide network capacity and improved access to modern collaboration tools.
• SSC is building on these improvements to support future ways of working for employees as larger numbers return to the worksite under a hybrid model.
• With a focus on priority worksites, SSC continues to upgrade networks and modernize boardroom capabilities to better enable collaboration across locations.
• SSC is working with other departments to address their unique needs, while ensuring that tools and technology are in place government-wide to support essential operations and to deliver services to Canadians.
• SSC continues to enable the Government of Canada to quickly adapt to constant technological advances.

Background

As of January 16, 2023, the federal public service is adopting a common hybrid work model that will see employees work on site at least two to three days each week, or 40% to 60% of their regular schedule. Full implementation is expected by March 31, 2023.

SSC has taken significant steps to address government-wide technology challenges related to COVID-19 work arrangements. It has focused primarily on demands on the government’s network capacity and security, and on the functionality of workplace collaboration tools. These improvements will continue to support employees as they adopt the common hybrid work model.

Network Modernization

SSC has implemented major upgrades to the enterprise network since fall 2020. More Internet and security upgrades are underway.

More than 3,500 buildings are connected to the Government of Canada network. It is not required, feasible or cost effective to upgrade all sites. Consequently, SSC is working with departments to prioritize sites most critical to Canadians and government operations.

Collaboration Tools

Videoconferencing, mostly through Microsoft Teams, has become the main communication channel for employees, given the ongoing requirements for collaboration from different locations.

SSC has made sure the approximately 7,400 boardrooms can work with Microsoft Teams.

These technologies use significant bandwidth. As employees return to worksites, the level of service they have come to expect is not necessarily available in all Government of Canada buildings.

SSC issued guidance in February 2022 on thresholds for Microsoft Teams bandwidth consumption to assist departments with managing their users’ experience. SSC worked with Public Service and Procurement Canada to update the guidance allowing departments to establish thresholds for those working on the GC network, while enabling remote workers to fully make use of their available bandwidth, thereby supporting a better user experience for all.

Working with Partners

SSC will continue to work with departments on their specific needs for the implementation of the common hybrid work model.

In some cases, employees may have to return to worksites before the infrastructure has been upgraded. These employees will have to adapt their use of collaboration tools.

Departments must also proactively test and analyze their respective operations.

SSC's Population

Key Messages

• As of September 30, 2022, the total of indeterminate employees at SSC was 8,177.
• Employees in the CS/IT group represent about 63% of SSC's population.

Official Languages

• SSC's Official Languages Program encourages all employees to begin second language training as early as possible in their career.
• In 2021-22, SSC invested $4.1M to provide language training to 1,793 employees.
• SSC offers several training and language practice resources, including full- and part-time group language training, one-on-one training, self-directed online training software, preparation sessions for the Public Service Commission's Second Language Evaluation tests, lunch and learn and mentoring sessions for second language practice and maintenance, and free tools such as Mauril and Antidote.
• Despite criticism stating that the ratio of Francophone executives in government is lower than the ratio of non-executive Francophones in the public service as a whole, this is not the case at SSC:
  • Non-executives
    • 60% Anglophone
    • 40% Francophone
  • Executives
    • 53% Anglophone
    • 47% Francophone

Diversity and Inclusion

As of April 1, 2022, SSC had the following employee representation rates and gaps for the four equity groups:‌

• Women represent 34.7% of SSC's population. Efforts continue to improve our representation, specifically in the IT category where the gap is at -3.8%.
• Visible minorities represent 19.7% of the department's population and has been consistently growing year over year (previous representation rates were 17.6% in 2020 and 18.6% in 2021).
• Indigenous Peoples account for 3% of our population. This figure has remained relative to workforce availability. However, our number has grown from 26 people in 2020, to 44 people in 2022).
• Persons with disabilities have seen steady increases in representation at SSC (growing from 5.5% in 2020 to 6.1% in 2022). Despite this moderate success, there remains a sizeable gap. SSC is working with the Office of Public Service Accessibility on a pilot project to recruit neurodiverse employees and is engaging with hiring managers and staffing to better understand other barriers that may exist in hiring persons with disabilities.

Within Executive levels

• SSC is representative of the Canadian population for both women and visible minority executives. Their percentage has remained steady at just above 40% and 17% respectively.
• Executives who are Indigenous have seen incremental growth with representation growing from 2.1% in 2020 to 2.3% and 3.3% in successive years. It is important to note that as of April 1, 2022, SSC no longer has a deficit in Indigenous representation at the Executive levels.
• Persons with disabilities has also seen a marked increase in representation at SSC. Our representation has risen from 2.1% in 2020 to 5.1% in 2022. Our current gap is -0.2%.

Next Generation Human Resources and Pay Initiative

Key Messages

• The purpose of the Next Generation Human Resources and Pay (NextGen HR and Pay) initiative is to assess the viability of a commercial HR and pay solution to replace the GC's current pay system and over 33 HR systems.
• At present, the NextGen initiative is testing the commercial solution against a number of complex scenarios that represent the GC's HR and pay requirements.
• This is being undertaken with partner departments to ensure that we are testing complex scenarios that reflect their daily reality.
• All testing is taking place in a simulated environment, separate from the existing systems that are used to pay employees.
• Findings to-date indicate that the commercial solution already meets the vast majority of requirements needed for the critical parts of HR and pay.
• The initiative has also identified a number of complex scenarios that must be addressed to allow the GC to adopt a commercial solution.
• Standardization and simplification of the GC's HR and pay rules will be essential to successfully implement any commercial solution.
• Testing will be complete in coming months and will be the basis for a recommendation in 2023.

If pressed on cost:‌

• The Initiative is assessing the total cost of ownership of major components of an HR and pay system as the recommendation is developed.
• The full cost to implement a new system, including ongoing operational costs, will be determined when a solution has been tested and determined to be viable.

If pressed on the testing approach:‌

• Testing allows the NextGen HR and Pay team to learn what the GC, as an enterprise, may have to change in our practices to be in a position to effectively leverage a commercial grade HR & Pay solution.

Enterprise Mobile Device Management Service

Key Messages

• The Enterprise Mobile Device Management (EMDM) Service is one of Shared Services Canada's (SSC) Critical Business Applications / Services. It enables employees to securely access Government of Canada (GC) information on government-issued mobile devices.
• EMDM manages approximately 190,000 mobile devices and tablets (iOS and Android) in use across 45 partners departments and 7 client departments.
• EMDM service is hosted in SSC End State Data Centres. It uses a BlackBerry's software for managing security policies and features deployed to mobiles/tablets.
• EMDM service features include:
  • securely syncing mail services from 34 Microsoft 365 tenants and 12 on- premises email systems
  • supporting modern devices (Apple and Samsung)
  • supporting Microsoft 365 collaboration mobile applications for the 41 partners who have already fully migrated to that platform (e.g., Teams, OneDrive)
  • deploying commercial and partner-specific mobile applications
  • offering Internet, intranet and extranet browsing
  • providing mobile access to partner networks (intranet, access to partner data sources)
  • providing secure email capabilities for hard and soft security tokens
  • providing personal and restricted work spaces as well as accessible tools for persons with disabilities

Background

• The Enterprise Mobile Device Management (EMDM) Service went live on December 1, 2017.
• The EMDM service replaced the Interim BlackBerry Enterprise Service (iBES) that consolidated all Departmental BlackBerry Services under the newly created SSC organization and mandate.
• EMDM service was created primarily to:
  • support modern devices (Apple iOS and Android)
  • take advantage of newly implemented SSC Enterprise Services for Data Centres, Networks and Directory Services
  • provide the capacity required to meet the increase in demand for mobile devices and tablets
  • move away from supporting BlackBerry-built devices given their decline and ultimate exit from the mobile market
  • offer departments advanced mobile device feature sets, including secure email, a richer user experience, and increased productivity / collaboration capabilities

Way Forward

• The EMDM service is currently located on premises using shared SSC Enterprise Services. To improve its stability, SSC is moving to a vendor-provided Cloud-Hosted Software as a Service.
• Evolve the service offering and expand into the Secure Classified communications space.
• Long term objective will be to integrate the service offering with other collaboration service capabilities as the marketplace evolves.

Social Media

Key Messages

• On February 27, 2023, at the direction of the Treasury Board Secretariat, SSC pushed out a GC-wide application removal and blockage of installation of TikTok from all SSC-managed mobile devices.
• The Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) at the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) has the authority to decide which applications are needed or should be blocked government wide.
• Departments have the discretion to consider additional applications as unacceptable.
• SSC implements requests with TBS OCIO or partners' CIOs to add or block specific applications. SSC also implements security restrictions and controls on GC mobile devices.

If pressed on EMDM:‌

• SSC provides an Enterprise Mobile Device Management Service (EMDM) to over 190,000 Government of Canada (GC) devices.
• However, SSC does not manage mobile devices for the entire GC, as most non-mandated departments provide their own mobile device management services.
• SSC's role is to centrally manage mobile device services.

The determination and application deployment processes are outlined below.

Determination Process

• Enterprise Determination
  • TBS consults with the Privy Council Office (PCO), the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (CCCS) and SSC to review security and privacy risks that determine whether a social media platform should be forbidden at the Enterprise Level
  • TBS is responsible for CIO communications and SSC for the implementation of the required controls to forbid an application on GC devices
• SSC Partner Determination
  • Partner CIOs and Chief Security Officers (CSO) determine if a social media platform or any other platform should be forbidden based on security and privacy assessments.
  • Partners are responsible for communications to their users and SSC for the implementation of the required controls to forbid an application on partner devices.
  • Once SSC receives the sign off, the mobile application is deployed

SSC Telecommunication Services

Key Messages

As a common service provider, SSC provides telecommunications services for 45 partners, including itself.

(a) Phone lines the government is paying for

As of November 2022, SSC is paying for approximately 410,000 mobile lines, including but not limited to, mobile devices, weather stations, police cars, modems, and payment terminals.

As of November 2022, SSC pays for and supports approximately 523,000 fixed line connections for its partners and clients.

(b) Dormant phone lines

As of November 2022, SSC noted 85,677 mobile phone lines that were inactive for more than 3 months. SSC is continuously working with partners and clients to validate for exceptions due to operational or business continuity requirements or flagging for cancellation. As of March 2023, 45,000 of 85,677 devices have been suspended.

As of November 2022, there are 203,925 dormant fixed lines. As of November 2022, 77,693 fixed lines were identified by partners to be disconnected, since then 50,436 had been confirmed as disconnected.

In this context, SSC defines “dormant” as phone lines (mobile and fixed) that have been assigned and activated but are not being used, and (mobile) phone lines that have been assigned to partners but have not been activated by a user.

(c) Active phone lines that have not been used or have not had any activity in the last year

As of November 2022, SSC noted 85,677 mobile phone lines that were inactive for more than 3 months. SSC is continuously working with partners and clients to validate for exceptions due to operational or business continuity requirements or flagging for cancellation. As of March 2023, 45,000 of 85,677 devices have been suspended.

As of November 2022, 77,693 fixed lines were identified by partners to be disconnected, since then 50,436 had been confirmed as disconnected.

(d) Redundant phone lines

SSC does not consider any phone lines (fixed or mobile) to be redundant. Lines that are determined to be “dormant” are disconnected through SSC’s zero usage framework implementation and the fixed line reduction initiative.

(e) Amount spent on phone lines

During the 2022 calendar year, SSC spent the amounts below on mobile phone lines, broken down by service provider:

Service Provider	Cost
Bell‌	$47,139,439.60‌
Rogers‌	$1,276,406.75‌
Telus‌	$61,629.84‌
Total‌	$48,477,476.19‌

During the 2022 calendar year, SSC spent the amounts below on fixed lines, broken down by service provider:

Service Provider	Cost
BELL TELEPHONE COMPANY OF CANADA‌	$64,945,081.92‌
TELUS COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY‌	$23,971,480.58‌
BELL ALIANT REGIONAL‌	$11,217,390.11‌
MTS INC.‌	$3,905,425.69‌
SASKATCHEWAN TELECOMMUNICATIONS‌	$3,144,320.38‌
BRAGG COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED‌	$2,592,127.90‌
NORTHWESTEL INC.‌	$1,561,622.82‌
NORTHERNTEL, LIMITED‌	$383,217.01‌
YELLOW PAGES‌	$314,626.76‌
TELEBEC, SOCIETE EN COMMANDITE‌	$278,529.73‌
OTHERS‌	$845,442.39‌
Total‌	$113,159,265.29‌

Auditor General’s Report

https://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/att__e_44161.html

Shared Services Canada detailed action plan

To the recommendation of the audit of cyber security of personal information in the cloud tabled on November 15, 2022

Report Ref. No

7.72

OAG Recommendation

Public Services and Procurement Canada and Shared Services Canada should include environmental criteria in their strategies and contracts for procuring cloud services to support sustainability in procurement practices and contribute to achieving Canada’s net-zero goal.

Departmental Response

Agreed. Public Services and Procurement Canada and Shared Services Canada agree that environmental criteria should be included in the procurement of cloud services. The Shared Services Canada Cloud Framework Agreement currently does not in itself include sustainability requirements. It does provide the ability to include such requirements in future solicitations. Shared Services Canada has developed rated environmental criteria, which it plans on including in upcoming competitive solicitations under the Government of Canada Cloud Framework Agreement beginning in fall 2022, which includes greening requirements related to greenhouse gas reduction targets.

In addition, Shared Services Canada has confirmed that at this time 7 of the 8 Government of Canada Cloud Framework Agreement vendors have equal or enhanced targets compared with Canada’s net‑zero commitments.

The Public Services and Procurement Canada software as a service supply arrangement does not evaluate environmental criteria. However, it does collect this information from suppliers in order to assist clients in evaluating the solutions available through the supply agreement. Public Services and Procurement Canada plans to update the environmental information collected in its software as a service supply agreement and plans to refresh the agreement in order to address Government of Canada priorities related to net‑zero greenhouse gas emissions. The supply agreement will provide the ability for clients to include environmental criteria in bid solicitations issued against the agreement, and Public Services and Procurement Canada plans to develop resulting contract clauses regarding greenhouse gas emissions related to greenhouse gas reduction targets.

Shared Services Canada and Public Services and Procurement Canada have also been working together to further align the approach to cloud procurement. As part of this exercise, a standard template for cloud contracts is being developed, which is anticipated to be released by the end of the 2022–2023 fiscal year. This will include standard sustainability terms for cloud providers.

Description of Final Expected Outcome/Result

Environmental criteria will be included in PSPC and SSC strategies and incorporated into cloud contract templates being developed for the procurement of cloud services across the Government of Canada.

Expected Final Completion Date

March 31, 2023

Key Interim Milestones (Description/Dates)

1. Develop rated environmental criteria for inclusion in competitive cloud solicitations. (Complete: August 31, 2022)
2. Begin including environmental criteria in the competitive solicitation processes under the SSC Cloud Framework Agreement. (Complete: September 29, 2022)
3. Develop a draft of a standard template for cloud contracts that includes standard sustainability terms for cloud service providers. (Complete: September 29, 2022)
4. Consult industry on standard cloud terms and conditions template, including sustainability terms / Update the standard templates post-consultation. (March 31, 2023)
5. Develop Resulting Contract Clauses related to GHG reduction targets, post industry consultation. Incorporate these into PSPC and SSC solicitations as well as standard template for cloud contracts. (March 31, 2023)

Responsible Organization/ Point of Contact

Robert Ianiro, Assistant Deputy Minister
Enterprise IT Procurement and Corporate Services Branch
613-614-5176

Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat detailed action plan

To the recommendations of the Independent Auditors Report of Cybersecurity of Personal Information in the Cloud

Report Ref. No.

33

OAG Recommendation

In consultation with Shared Services Canada and Public Services and Procurement Canada, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) should:

• Clarify who is responsible for validating and ongoing monitoring of cloud guardrails controls on an ongoing basis and clarify the processes to be followed.
• Extend the requirement for guardrails to cloud service provider contracts stemming from supply arrangements established by Public Services and Procurement Canada.

Departmental Response

TBS will clarify the process and roles/responsibilities for validating and monitoring of guardrails & extend to PSPC procured solutions.

Description of Final Expected Outcome/Result

Published Cloud Responsibility Matrix, that formally identifies who is responsible for validating, ongoing monitoring, performing oversight and compliance of the cloud guardrails controls.

The Standard Operating Procedure for Validating Cloud Guardrails is clarified and extended for cloud service provider contracts awarded by PSPC.

The GC Cloud Guardrails and Directive on Service and Digital is updated to reflect guardrail controls that apply to cloud services including PSPC procured cloud services.

In addition, TBS will:

• establish a score card to report on departments’ level of adherence to the GC Cloud Guardrails
• collaborate with SSC in their efforts to implement tools to automate guardrail monitoring for cloud service providers in the Government of Canada
• continue to provide advice and guidance to departments on ensuring that they perform security assessment and authorization activities for cloud-based applications using tools such as the Security Playbook for Information System Solutions which outlines a set of security tasks for consideration when designing and implementing solutions for Government of Canada (GC) information systems in cloud environments.

Expected Final Completion Date

April 1, 2023

Key Interim Milestones (Description/Dates)

• October 6, 2022 - publish the Cloud Responsibility Matrix
• December 2022 - clarify applicable guardrails for PSPC-procured solutions and extend to PSPC procurement.
• January 2023 - update the guardrails, including PSPC
• February 2023 - establish a score card report template
• April 2023 - collaboration with SSC on automation of guardrails reporting proof of concept complete and onboarding of departments begins.

Responsible Organization/ Point of Contact

Scott Levac, Director
Cloud Oversight
613‑793‑7207

Rahim Charania, Director
Cyber Security
613‑612‑7808

Report Ref. No.

42

OAG Recommendation

TBS should ensure that:

• The Government of Canada Cyber Security Event Management Plan is relevant to the evolving cloud environment and shared responsibilities, is reviewed and tested annually, and updated if changes are warranted.
• Departments finalize, implement, and regularly test their security event management plans.

Departmental Response

TBS will ensure relevance of the GC Cyber Security Event Management Plan (GC CSEMP) and that it is reviewed and tested annually and updated if required. Ensure that departments use GC CSEMP.

Description of Final Expected Outcome/Result

The Government of Canada Cyber Security Event Management Plan will be reviewed and tested at least annually and updated as appropriate. This includes an update to the GC CSEMP and inclusion of cloud-based scenarios in GC CSEMP simulation exercises.

A process will be in place to validate that Departments have established and implemented a Departmental CSEMP that aligns with the GC CSEMP, which are submitted on an annual basis to TBS for review.

Tools are planned for and available which will enable departments to regularly test their Departmental CSEMP, such as a canned tabletop product that focuses on a cloud-based scenario that departments can leverage to run their own simulation exercise; as well as exploring options to establish a procurement vehicle that will enable facilitated cloud-based simulation exercises by March 2023.

Expected Final Completion Date

-

Key Interim Milestones (Description/Dates)

• Fall 2022 - GC CSEMP: updated and published
• March 2023 – Explore options for tools to enable departments to facilitate cloud-based simulation exercises
• April 2023 – Include a requirement for departments to submit their CSEMP with their Plan for Service and Digital

Responsible Organization/ Point of Contact

Rahim Charania, Director
Cyber Security
613‑612‑7808

Report Ref. No.

51

OAG Recommendation

In consultation with Communications Security Establishment Canada, Shared Services Canada, Public Services and Procurement Canada, and departments, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat should ensure that roles and responsibilities required in support of the design, implementation, validation, monitoring, coordination and enforcement of all the security controls needed to protect sensitive and personal information in the cloud are documented and proactively communicated to any department that is using or considering the use of cloud services. These documented roles and responsibilities would facilitate a complete and common understanding of each department’s roles and responsibilities and would facilitate coordination between all departments. The secretariat should review and update these documented roles and responsibilities at least every 12 months.

Departmental Response

TBS will ensure that roles and responsibilities required for security controls are clearly documented and proactively communicated to departments. Review and update annually.

Description of Final Expected Outcome/Result

Published Cloud Responsibility Matrix, that formally identifies who is responsible for validating, ongoing monitoring, performing oversight and compliance of the cloud guardrails controls.

The Cloud Responsibility Matrix is updated following a completed review that has examined and updated the roles and responsibilities required in support of the design, implementation, validation, monitoring, coordination and enforcement of all the security controls needed to protect sensitive and personal information in the cloud.

Regular update engagements are arranged for GC Enterprise Architecture Review Board, Director General Cloud Steering Committee, GC Cloud and Computing Network of Expertise Working Group to proactively share information on roles and responsibilities to any department that is using or considering the use of cloud services. Updates to the Cloud Responsibility Matrix are published to information sharing sites such as the GC Cloud InfoCentre.

A process is established for an annual review and publication of the Cloud Responsibility Matrix and providing updates to the community.

Expected Final Completion Date

-

Key Interim Milestones (Description/Dates)

• October 6, 2022 - publish the Cloud Responsibility Matrix
• March 2023 - complete a review of the responsibility matrix
• September 2023 - increase proactive communications
• March 2023 - updates to the community on review cycles

Responsible Organization/ Point of Contact

Scott Levac, Director
Cloud Oversight
613‑793‑7207

Rahim Charania, Director
Cyber Security
613‑612‑7808

Report Ref. No.

62

OAG Recommendation

Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, in consultation with Shared Services Canada and other departments, should:

• Develop and provide a costing model to help departments make informed decisions about moving to the Cloud and determine whether additional resources and funding are required.
• Help departments determine their operational funding needs and sustain their funding so they can fulfill their evolving responsibilities for cloud operations, including securing sensitive information in the Cloud.

Departmental Response

TBS will develop and provide a costing model and tools to help departments make informed decisions about moving to the Cloud and determine resources and funding required.

Description of Final Expected Outcome/Result

Completed TBS consultations with the GC community to discuss cloud operational models, prioritization criteria and associated funding models.

A series of recommendations presented to the GC CIO on direction for operating in the Cloud.

TBS Consultations with SSC and departments complete. Outcomes include a costing model and guidance to help departments make informed decisions about moving to the Cloud.

Tools and guidance available intended to assist departments, including SSC, with forecasting medium and long-term costs required to operate in a cloud environment.

Expected Final Completion Date

-

Key Interim Milestones (Description/Dates)

June 2023 - assist departments & SSC with forecasting

Responsible Organization/ Point of Contact

-

PSPC management action plan

Response to the Recommendations from the Audit of Cybersecurity of Personal Information in the Cloud (Auditor General of Canada, Fall 2022)

Report Ref. No.

Para. 72

OAG Recommendation

Public Services and Procurement Canada and Shared Services Canada should include environmental criteria when procuring cloud services to support sustainability in procurement practices and contribute to achieving Canada’s net- zero goal.

Departmental Response

Agreed.

Public Services and Procurement Canada and Shared Services Canada agree that environmental criteria should be included in the procurement of cloud services. The Shared Services Canada Cloud Framework Agreement currently does not in itself include sustainability requirements; it does provide the ability to include such requirements in future solicitations. Shared Services Canada has developed rated environmental criteria, which it plans on including in upcoming competitive solicitations under the Government of Canada Cloud Framework Agreement beginning in fall 2022, which includes greening requirements related to greenhouse gas reduction targets.

In addition, Shared Services Canada has confirmed that at this time 7 of the 8 Government of Canada Cloud Framework Agreement vendors have equal or enhanced targets compared with Canada’s net-zero commitments.

The Public Services and Procurement Canada software as a service supply arrangement does not evaluate environmental criteria. However, it does collect this information from suppliers in order to assist clients in evaluating the solutions available through the supply agreement. Public Services and Procurement Canada plans to update the environmental information collected in its software as a service supply agreement and plans to refresh the agreement in order to address Government of Canada priorities related to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. The supply agreement will provide the ability for clients to include environmental criteria in bid solicitations issued against the agreement, and Public Services and Procurement Canada plans to develop resulting contract clauses regarding greenhouse gas emissions related to greenhouse gas reduction targets.

Shared Services Canada and Public Services and Procurement Canada have also been working together to further align the approach to cloud procurement. As part of this exercise, a standard template for cloud contracts is being developed, which is anticipated to be released by the end of the 2022–23 fiscal year. This will include standard sustainability terms for cloud providers.

Description of Final Expected Outcome/Result

Environmental criteria will be included in PSPC and SSC strategies and incorporated into cloud contract templates being developed for the procurement of cloud services across the Government of Canada.

Expected Final Completion Date

March 31, 2023

Key Interim Milestones (Description/Dates)

Key interim milestone A:

Refresh the PSPC Software-as-a- Service Supply Arrangement (SA) with modifications that address Government of Canada priorities related to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), as follows:

• Update the environmental information collected.
• Provide the ability for clients to include environmental criteria in bid solicitations issued against the SA.
• Incorporate ‘Resulting Contract Clauses’ related to GHG reduction targets.

Completion Date: March 31, 2023

Key interim milestone B:

In collaboration with SSC, develop and release to procurement officers a standard template for cloud contracts which includes sustainability terms for cloud providers.

Completion Date: March 31, 2023

Responsible Organization/ Point of Contact

Michael Mills, Assistant Deputy Minister
Procurement Branch
613-769-3738

Mollie Royds, Associate Assistant Deputy Minister
Procurement Branch
343-551-5731

Cloud Adoption Strategy: 2023 Update

1. Executive Summary

In 2018, the GC renewed its cloud adoption strategy in response to the introduction of the Cloud First policy requirement. Since that time, departments and agencies have grown their use of the cloud.

• As legacy data centres are closed, departments can migrate their applications to Enterprise Data Centres (EDC) or modernize their applications using public cloud services.
• Departments and agencies also turned to cloud services during the pandemic to provide rapid, secure, and stable access to new digital services.

The cloud first policy requirement was meant to challenge departmental CIOs to consider the Cloud as their preferred delivery model for IT. Departments and agencies responded, and it has become clear that ‘cloud first’ does not mean ‘cloud at all costs’. While the Cloud remains a preferred choice for new applications, the decisions are more complex for existing applications.

In evolving to the principle of cloud smart, the GC will rationalize application portfolios and align to the most appropriate hosting model. This strategy will help departments navigate modernization decisions while also addressing challenges they are experiencing.

When formulating this strategy, the CIO and CFO community was consulted. That community has shared their experiences with using the Cloud and two themes emerged:

• Above all, the Cloud provides agility and rapid deployment of capability/services. Whatever structures or strategic changes the GC makes, the agility of cloud must be maintained.
• Cloud technology alone does not yield the benefits of agility. Roles and responsibilities, governance, methods, skills, finances, and culture must shift to full yield the agility of cloud services.

This strategy aims to explain how the GC will optimize its use of the Cloud to maximize business value, to reduce our accumulated technical debt and to continue to evolve the service-focused culture of the GC.

2. Achieving Business Value

In departments and agencies, IT organizations deliver technology that will improve the organization’s service delivery, program delivery and overall efficiency. Program and Service organizations within those same Departments and Agencies have experienced significant shifts in expectations for policy implementation and service delivery.

In a digital world, rarely is a policy change implemented without the expectation of rapid delivery of technology to enable it. CIOs, and by extension IT organizations, are under increasing pressure to deliver business value with speed while improving stability, quality and security. Business value, generically, can be articulated as:

• Greater agility – the ability to incrementally improve applications with speed while maintaining quality, security, and stability.
• Relentless focus on service management and user experience.
• Automating processes allowing the refocusing of resources from administration to higher value roles.
• Providing greater collection, higher quality, rapid assessment of data to inform policy decisions.
• Ability to pivot as technology and user expectation continue to shift.
• Contributing to overall government Sustainable Development objectives by providing highly efficient enterprise-scale infrastructure that reduce gas emissions and promote the greening of government.

In consultations with the CIO community, delivering higher business value was emphasized as a priority for their organization. Program Leads are becoming increasingly aware of how technology can transform their operations and service delivery. Secure cloud platforms can be used to bridge these needs by enabling programs can build solutions on platforms governed by IT organizations.

3. Reducing Technical Debt

During the early stages of the pandemic, new programs and services had to be rapidly deployed and new policy directions were created. Behind the delivery of each new service was technology. Behind every new policy was data collection and analysis. Modern delivery of technology is expected to respond rapidly to change while improving or maintaining security and stability. When existing technology cannot scale to meet these new needs or cannot quickly pivot to meet changing requirements, the accumulated technical debt of our systems is exposed.

Remediating technical debt is not a one-time activity. Remediating technical debt must be viewed and funded as a continuous activity. Simply replacing an aging technology with a newer like-for-like replacement will not break the debt cycle. Instead, new technologies, such as the cloud, must be implemented in a manner that ensures that the total scope and liability of technical debt is reduced with time.

4. How the Cloud can help Remediate Technical Debt and Deliver Business Value

Now that the importance of remediating technical debt and increasing business value has been established, the question remains as to why cloud technology, and its associated methods, is a natural fit for these activities. The Cloud’s unique properties allow for improved:

• Speed to solution: coupled with modern delivery methods and automation, cloud allows for business solutions to be delivered faster than traditional service models.
• Innovation: cloud service providers spend billions annually to develop new services and features without the need for large capital investments by the GC.
• Reduction of future of technical debt liabilities: by using commercial cloud services, the GC’s scope of responsibility to maintain and replace (evergreen) technology is reduced.
• Sustainability: cloud providers have made commitments to reduce carbon foot prints and offers the GC tools and features to create more sustainable digital services.
• Skills and talent: new computer science and engineering graduates are skilled in cloud technologies. Not adopting cloud technology puts the GC at risk of having a workforce whose skills have diverged from those generally available in the market.
• Experimentation: due to its on-demand pricing model, the cost of experimentation using the Cloud is low. Experiments can be used to quickly verify or reject hypotheses through learning leading to better informed, evidence-based, decisions.
• Security: cloud providers are able to learn from threats and incidents directed at one customer and apply those learnings as preventative controls across all of its other customers.
• Scalability: to sudden or short-term demands allowing for just-in-time program delivery and cost-effective response to business lines that only operate for a fixed period each year avoiding the need to over-provision IT capabilities.

5. Principles

As a result, the GC has evolved its Cloud Adoption Principles to further help align decisions and planning to the core outcomes desired by this strategy.

Principle‌	Description‌
1. Cloud Smart‌	The GC will rationalize application portfolios and align to the most appropriate hosting model.‌
2. Value First‌	The adoption of the Cloud will be used to reduce time-to-deliver, increase agility and maximize business value while mapping the business benefits of application modernization against the effort required to modernize.‌
3. Cloud Security‌	In order to move towards a more scalable secure cloud connectivity model, GC will migrate applications and infrastructure, toward zero-trust architectures (ZTA) using an enterprise approach. In addition, GC will use cloud service providers and framework agreements to meet privacy and security requirements, including data residency and sovereignty.‌
4. Incentivize Cloud‌	The financial model will incentivize the continuous optimization of cloud consumption and provide agility to pivot to new technology choices.‌
5. Move & Continuously Improve‌	Modernization of applications will include adopting higher up–the- stack technologies such as PaaS, SaaS, serverless, and‌ containers. Prioritizing "buy before build" and limiting "lift-and- shift."
6. Invest in Our Talent‌	We will invest in in-house teams by reskilling and hiring new resources to sustain delivery, remediate technical debt and create modernization capacity.‌
7. Deliver with Agility‌	DevSecOps and product management will be used to deliver IT services with the agility required to keep our systems aligned to the pace of changing policies, programs and user expectations.‌

6. Conclusion

GC organizations are increasingly leveraging cloud computing to seize the potential benefits of delivering more agile, flexible and cost-effective IT services.

While the government is still in the early stages of its adoption of the Cloud it continues to make improvements to polices and tools to support organizations with secure cloud adoption, processes and best practices. This evolution of the GC Cloud Strategy demonstrates this through fidelity and continuous calibration as a key component of realizing Canada’s Digital Ambition.

PACP Committee Members

Current Membership and Roles

Blake Desjarlais – NDP

Constituency: Edmonton Griesbach

Province: Alberta‌

Professional Background: National Director of the Métis Settlements General Council.‌

Education: MacEwan University, University of Victoria‌

Date of Birth: 1993‌

Official Biography‌

Blake Desjarlais (he/him) was born in Edmonton and raised in the Fishing Lake Métis Settlement.‌

Mr. Desjarlais made history in September 2021 when he was the first openly Two-Spirit person elected to the House of Commons. Mr. Desjarlais is currently Alberta's only Indigenous Member of Parliament.‌

Prior to his election, Mr. Desjarlais was the National Director of the Métis Settlements General Council.‌

Mr. Desjarlais currently serves as the Caucus Vice Chair and Critic for Treasury Board, Diversity and Inclusion, Youth, Sport and Post-Secondary Education. Mr. Desjarlais is the Deputy Critic for 2SLGBTQI+ Rights and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.‌

Mr. Desjarlais is proud to call the Boyle Street neighbourhood in Edmonton Griesbach home.‌

Parliamentary Roles

44th Parliament, 1st Session

• Member – Public Accounts

Issues of Importance to the Member‌

Indigenous Rights / MMIWG / Cost of Living – Has often used opportunities at Question Period and through Order Paper Questions to ask about funding to Indigenous communities, the MMIWG crisis and affordability programs for Canadians.

Issues Raised in Relation to the PACP study‌

N/A

Oral Questions (44th Parliament, 1st Session)

2022-12-07

Mr. Speaker, the Alberta Children's Hospital is operating at over 120%. Children's hospital staff are being overwhelmed, and as emergency rooms fill up, families are forced to wait outside in trailers to get the care they need. Can members imagine that? The government points fingers at everyone else and is letting Premier Smith do whatever she wants to our public health care system. Canadians are fed up being told that it is someone else's problem. When will the government do its job and uphold the Canada Health Act?

2022-12-01

Mr. Speaker, the last three auditor’s general have been clear. The government has failed to help first nations communities protect themselves against natural disasters. The Auditor General is fed up with the government's inaction and Canadians are fed up too. Even the deputy minister sees that the government is leaving first nations communities to fend for themselves.‌

The climate emergency is here. We have no time to wait. When will the government drop the platitudes and deliver the $358 million first nations need?‌

2022-11-30‌

Mr. Speaker, this week marks World AIDS Day. The HIV/AIDS crisis once devastated Canada and the 2SLGBTQI community. Today, through the dedication and hard work of the community, we have the tools to eliminate HIV infections once and for all, but the Liberal government continues to ignore the calls for the annual $100-million investment that it would take to do this.‌

When will the government provide the funds to eliminate HIV so that all Canadians can live a safe and healthy life?‌

2022-11-22

Mr. Speaker, it is worse than that. Five hundred workers who need to feed their families in Alberta are being laid off, all while their employer, Loblaws, rakes in excess profits to the tune of $1 million a day. These layoffs are intimidation tactics designed to scare workers. It is clear the Liberals are standing with big corporations like Loblaws, while New Democrats stand with workers.‌

When will the government stop covering for Loblaws and start protecting workers' paycheques?‌

2022-11-04‌

Madam Speaker, it is no secret that grocery chains and big oil companies are making record profits, all while Canadians cannot pay the bills. Not once in the government's fall economic statement did it acknowledge that corporate greed is driving up the cost of everything. The Liberals and Conservatives are standing by and doing nothing, while the wealthiest CEOs take advantage of hard-working Canadians. Families are doing everything right, but they are falling further behind.‌

When will the government stop partnering up with CEOs and start working for Canadians?‌

2022-10-05‌

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, Indigenous families and communities across Turtle Island grieved and demanded answers for their missing loved ones. Families have been calling for justice and urgent action from the government.‌

Instead of doing everything they can to ensure that no more lives are lost, the Liberals have been doing only the bare minimum. They have spent only a fraction of the funding they promised for violence-prevention initiatives and have barely implemented the calls for justice from the MMIWG2S report.‌

The Liberals have been in power now for seven years. When will they finally start delivering the justice Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit folks deserve?‌

2022-09-29

Mr. Speaker, Indigenous people in my riding of Edmonton Griesbach and across Canada are overrepresented in the houseless population. The ones who do have housing live in overcrowded homes or homes in dire need of repair.‌

Today, the Parliamentary Budget Officer reported that homes are now 67% more expensive than what the average Canadian can afford. The government is failing to help Indigenous people, who have been hit hard by the housing crisis. Before the next budget, will the Liberals fully fund the "for Indigenous, by Indigenous" housing initiative that the government promised?‌

2022-09-22

Mr. Speaker, a generation of Canadians is struggling. From the cost of living to the student debt crisis, Canadian students and recent grads are falling behind. Instead of helping them get by the federal government has collected billions of dollars in student loan payments since 2020. As a result, 65,000 Canadians have defaulted on their student loans.‌

This out-of-touch Liberal government refuses to give young Canadians a break. When will the Liberal government start tackling the affordability crisis and cancel student debt?‌

2022-06-21‌

Mr. Speaker, the government says that housing is a human right, but in my riding of Edmonton Griesbach, the lack of housing is an emergency. In the last three years alone, 453 people have died on the streets of Edmonton because they did not have shelter, many of whom were Indigenous.‌

Under the Liberal government, the issue is getting worse. The Liberals are more interested in big developers' profits than putting a roof over people's heads. People in Alberta Avenue and across my community are not seeing results. When is the government going to drop the talking points and build homes for people who cannot afford them?‌

2022-06-10

Mr. Speaker, Evangeline Cayanan is a well-known community leader and activist in Edmonton. She is also an undocumented worker. She has given so much of herself to better our community in Edmonton, yet she and her Canadian-born six-year-old daughter are now facing imminent deportation. This is especially traumatizing for her daughter, who has health issues. This is a story of just one in a worrying trend of cruel deportations.

Will the minister stop this deportation and help Vangie and her daughter stay in Canada, their home?

Written Questions (44th Parliament – 1st Session)

• Q-258 — December 14, 2021 — Mr. Desjarlais (Edmonton Griesbach) — With regard to the government’s operation of call centres: (a) what are the details of each call centre operated by or on behalf of the government, including (i) the department or program, as applicable, for which it provides services, (ii) the purpose, (iii) the location, (iv) whether it operates wholly or in part with remote staff; (b) for each call centre in (a), is it wholly or in part the object of a tender or contract for third-party provision of services, and, if so, what are the details of the contracts, including the (i) name of the vendor, (ii) value of the contract, (iii) term of the contract; and (c) for each call centre in (b), was a business case for contracting out carried out, and, if so, what were the justifications for contracting out?
• Q-274 — December 15, 2021 — Mr. Desjarlais (Edmonton Griesbach) — With regard to the Canada Student Financial Assistance Program since October 1, 2020, broken down by month: (a) what is the total amount the government has collected in repayments of student loans; (b) what is the total amount of new loans and grants delivered to (i) full- time and part-time students, (ii) students from low-income and middle-income families, (iii) students with dependants, (iv) students with permanent disabilities; and (c) how many new applications have been received under the (i) Repayment Assistance Plan,(ii) Repayment Assistance Plan for Borrowers with a Permanent Disability?
• Q-275 — December 15, 2021 — Mr. Desjarlais (Edmonton Griesbach) — With regard to government funding for fiscal years 2019-20 and 2020-21 allocated within the constituency of Edmonton Griesbach: what is the total funding amount, broken down by (i) fiscal year, (ii) department or agency, (iii) initiative, (iv) amount?
• Q-276 — December 15, 2021 — Mr. Desjarlais (Edmonton Griesbach) — With regard to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Public Services and Procurement Canada, and Visa Application Centers (VAC): (a) what differences were there between the VAC tender notice posted in June 2020, and the VAC tender notice posted in June 2021; (b) why was the tender notice re-posted; (c) how many bids have been submitted for each tender notice; (d) broken down by start and end date, how many reviews have been conducted on VFS Global since learning that one of their subcontractors was controlled by the Beijing Public Security Bureau; and (e) what recommendations have been made by any such reviews?
• Q-417 — March 21, 2022 — Mr. Desjarlais (Edmonton Griesbach) — With regard to the government’s use of Microsoft Teams, broken down by department: (a) how many employees use Microsoft Teams, reflected as a number and total percentage; and (b) what is the chat-retention policy of the department for one-to-one, group and meeting chat messages?
• Q-615 — June 8, 2022 — Mr. Desjarlais (Edmonton Griesbach) — With regard to federal funding for Métis, First Nations and Inuit organizations during the 2020-21 fiscal year: how much funding was allocated to (i) the Métis National Council and its affiliates (Metis Nation of Ontario, Metis Nation of Saskatchewan, Metis Nation of Alberta Association), (ii) non-affiliated Métis groups, specifically the Métis Settlements General Council and the Manitoba Metis Federation, (iii) Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, (iv) non-affiliated Inuit groups, specifically Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, Qikiqtani Inuit Association, Kitikmeot Inuit Association and Kivalliq Inuit Association, (v) the Assembly of First Nations, (vi) non-affiliated First Nations, specifically Treaty 8?
• Q-736 — June 21, 2022 — Mr. Desjarlais (Edmonton Griesbach) — With regard to the Canada Student Financial Assistance Program since October 1, 2020, broken down by month: (a) what is the total amount the government has collected in repayments of student loans; (b) what is the total amount of new loans delivered to (i) full-time and part-time students, (ii) students from low-income and middle-income families, (iii) students with dependants, (iv) students with permanent disabilities; (c) what is the total amount of new grants delivered to (i) full-time and part-time students, (ii) students from low-income and middle-income families, (iii) students with dependants, (iv) students with permanent disabilities; (c) how many new applications have been received under the (i) Repayment Assistance Plan, (ii) Repayment Assistance Plan for Borrowers with a Permanent Disability; and (d) how many borrowers have defaulted on their student loans?
• Q-737 — June 21, 2022 — Mr. Desjarlais (Edmonton Griesbach) — With regard to the Review and Analysis Division (RAD) of the Canada Revenue Agency, broken down by fiscal year since 2014-15: (a) how many reviews or investigations were conducted on Muslim organizations and charities; (b) what criteria is used to determine whether an organization's work is (i) religious, (ii) social; (c) what are the criteria that must be met in order for an investigation or review to be initiated under RAD’s responsibilities; and (d) what is the average cost to taxpayers of RAD reviews or investigations?
• Q-743 — June 21, 2022 — Mr. Desjarlais (Edmonton Griesbach) — With regard to passport processing offices, since March 1, 2019, broken down by month until June 21, 2022: (a) how many public service employees or full-time equivalents were working in person at each passport office; (b) how many requests were received for (i) new passports, (ii) passport renewals, (iii) children’s passports, (iv) urgent passports; (c) what service standards were communicated to the public about when they would receive their passports; (d) how many passports were issued; and (e) what was the number of unprocessed passport applications?
• Q-912 — October 24, 2022 — Mr. Desjarlais (Edmonton Griesbach) — With regard to the Canada Student Financial Assistance Program, broken down by province and territory, and by fiscal year: (a) what is the total amount of student debt owed; (b) what is the total amount of interest charged on student loans, since November 2015; (c) what is the total amount that the government has collected in repayments of student loans; (d) what is the total amount of new loans delivered to students who (i) are full-time and part-time, (ii) are from low-income and middle-income families, (iii) have dependents, (iv) have permanent disabilities; (e) what is the total amount of new grants delivered to students who (i) are full-time and part-time, (ii) are from low-income and middle-income families, (iii) have dependents, (iv) have permanent disabilities; (f) how many new applications have been received under the (i) Repayment Assistance Plan, (ii) Repayment Assistance Plan for Borrowers with a Permanent Disability; and (g) how many borrowers have defaulted on their student loans since November 2015, broken down by fiscal year?

Private Member's Business

This member does not have any active Private Member's bills or motions this session of interest or pertaining to SSC.

Brenda Shanahan – LPC

Constituency: Châteauguay—Lacolle

Province: Quebec‌

Professional Background: Social worker, financial educator‌

Education: MBA, Bachelor of Social Work and a Bachelor of History‌

Date of Birth: 1958‌

Official Biography‌

Ms. Shanahan holds an MBA, a Bachelor of Social Work and a‌ Bachelor of History. During her career as a banker, social worker and financial educator, she provided counsel in financial management and developed financial literacy workshops and materials as well as being a commentator on financial issues for various media outlets.‌

A long-time resident of Châteauguay and mother of three adult children, Ms. Shanahan has been involved in a number of organizations such as Amnesty International and the Canadian Federation of University Women.‌

Elected as the Member of Parliament for Châteauguay-Lacolle in 2015, Ms. Shanahan served on the Special Joint Committee on Physician-Assisted Death, the Standing Committee on Public Accounts and the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates. She was then appointed to the Committee of Parliamentarians on National Security and Intelligence. She was also Vice-Chair of the Quebec Liberal Caucus, Vice-Chair of the Liberal Women's Caucus and Co-Chair of the Multiparty Global Health Caucus. She was also Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics as well as Treasurer of the Liberal Women's Caucus and Treasurer of the Rural Liberal Caucus.‌

Parliamentary Roles‌

44th Parliament, 1st Session

• Member – Public Accounts‌

Parliament 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session‌

• Vice-Chair – Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics

43rd Parliament, 1st Session

• Vice-Chair – Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics‌

42nd Parliament, 1st Session

• Member – Government Operations and Estimates
• Member – Public Accounts
• Member – Physician-Assisted Dying

Issues of Importance to the Member‌

Gender Equality – Has been involved in the Liberal Women's Caucus and organizations working to improve the status of women.‌

Issues Raised in Relation to the PACP study‌

PACP – May 3, 2022‌

Ms. Shanahan‌

In the commentary from the OAG, the OAG notes that five organizations were subject to a cyber-attack in 2021. Which organizations were targeted? What personal information was stolen? What measures had been put in place to prevent cyber-attacks?‌

Ms. Hogan (Auditor General)‌

We didn't list the names of the organizations in order to not further expose them to any risks or vulnerabilities, but two of them have been very public in the media: the Canada Revenue Agency and Employment and Social Development Canada. The knowledge about what personal information might have been compromised is already out in the public domain in those two instances.‌

In all of these cases, we outlined, in our commentary, how they had an impact on lost information or on systems being shut down, but these were all things that were overcome by the cyber-policies and cyber-response of the entities. They did have an impact on our audit, so it is about maintaining that cyber-awareness and being vigilant across the entire federal public service. That's important to remember here.‌

Oral Questions (44th Parliament, 1st Session)

2022-12-09

Madam Speaker, tomorrow is Human Rights Day.

This day commemorates the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. When human rights are being trampled in places like Russia, Iran and Myanmar, Canada must stand up for the values we hold dear.

Can the Minister of Foreign Affairs inform the House of the steps we are taking to protect human rights and hold human rights abusers accountable?

2022-11-30

Mr. Speaker, protecting species at risk and working hard to achieve our conservation objectives is a priority for my constituents. We know how important wild species and natural spaces are to our way of life, and we also know that nature is a crucial ally in our fight against climate change.

Can the Prime Minister tell us what our government is doing to protect species at risk and stop biodiversity loss?

2022-11-14

Mr. Speaker, on November 3, the Government of Canada announced its 2022 fall economic statement. This update outlines the government's plan to continue to help Canadians with the cost of living and to build a Canada where nobody gets left behind. At a time when people are asking for help, can the Minister for Economic Development for the Regions of Quebec explain how the new measures will have a political impact on the lives of Canadians?

2022-10-31

Mr. Speaker, since day one on the job, the Minister of National Defence has made it clear that we need to build military institutions where every member feels safe, protected and respected. That is why she accepted Madame Arbour's report in its entirety and immediately stepped-up efforts to change the culture within the national defence team.

Last week, the minister announced the appointment of an external monitor. Can she tell us a bit more about the importance of this appointment?

2022-10-25

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Sport recently announced the renewal of $25.3 million in funding over three years for gender equity in sport. This investment will help recruit and retain women and girls and will support ongoing efforts to achieve gender equity in sport at all levels by 2035.

Can the minister explain how this new contribution will help women in sport?

2022-10-17

Mr. Speaker, over the past few years, I have seen many small businesses in my riding, Châteauguay—Lacolle, shift to online retail and upgrade the technologies they rely on. As a result, they are growing faster, increasing sales and exporting more.

Can the Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development explain how our government is helping more small businesses succeed in the digital economy?

2022-10-04

Mr. Speaker, in August, the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change announced the 10 members of the Environment and Climate Change Youth Council. At home, I have already seen that the youth on my youth council have the determination, collaborative spirit and creativity to find bold solutions to today's environmental challenges.

Can the minister tell us about the importance of youth involvement in climate action?

2022-09-29

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow is the second National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. It is an opportunity for Canadians to look back on Canada's historical relationship with Indigenous peoples and to reflect on the path to reconciliation that lies ahead.

Can the minister tell the House about the measures the government has taken to implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's calls to action, including the creation of a national council for reconciliation and the Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages? Can he explain why this is a crucial step toward reconciliation?

2022-09-20

Mr. Speaker, in many instances, dental care is not affordable for some families. Last week, the Prime Minister announced that the government's first bills on the docket this fall are going to make life more affordable for those Canadians who need it the most.

Can the Minister of Health tell the House how the government is delivering on its promises with regard to dental care for Canadians?

2022-06-22

Mr. Speaker, halting and reversing the biodiversity decline presents a major challenge that we all need to tackle together.

Canada is providing leadership on the world stage when it comes to tackling climate change and protecting nature.

Can the Minister of Environment and Climate Change update the House on the latest developments towards achieving an ambitious global framework on biodiversity?

Written Questions (44th Parliament – 1st Session)

N/A‌

Private Member's Business

This member does not have any active Private Member's bills or motions this session of interest or pertaining to SSC.‌

Garnett Genuis – CPC

Constituency: Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan

Province: Alberta

Professional Background: Vice-president of a national public opinion research company

Education: BA in Public Affairs and Policy Management from Carleton University, MA in Public Policy and Philosophy from the London School of Economics

Date of Birth: 1987

Official Biography

Garnett Genuis is the Member of Parliament for Sherwood Park–Fort Saskatchewan in Alberta, Canada. Since his election in 2015, he has gained a reputation for being among the most outspoken parliamentarians, having spoken more than 100,000 words in the Chamber during his first year in office – more than all three major party leaders combined.

Always ready to speak, he is a tireless advocate for human rights and religious freedom, both domestically and abroad, and is a vocal proponent of Alberta’s interests in Ottawa.

MP Genuis grew up in Strathcona County and got involved in his community through volunteering with various organizations, including a local care centre. During this time, he also developed an interest in human rights issues around the world, largely inspired by his maternal grandmother, a Holocaust survivor.

At age 15, he began writing a column for Sherwood Park News for which he continues to be a regular contributor as an MP. His columns also appear regularly in the Fort Saskatchewan Record and The Post Millennial, and he has written columns for Macleans, Huffington Post, Policy Options, and The Catholic World Report.

He has served as the Deputy Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs, a role that enables him to raise awareness about international human rights violations and promote a return to Canada’s principle-based foreign policy. Here at home, he has also given speeches on the carbon tax, pipelines, firearms, supporting people with disabilities, the “me too” movement, and many other hot topics.

In 2017, MP Genuis was voted Maclean’s Parliamentarian of the Year by his peers across party lines.

Recently, MP Genuis sparked an emergency debate in the House of Commons concerning the genocide of Rohingya Muslims in Burma and has also presented a private member’s bill to combat trafficking in human organs. In addition, he now serves as an International Patron of Hong Kong Watch.

MP Genuis holds a BA in Public Affairs and Policy Management from Carleton University and an MA in Public Policy and Philosophy from the London School of Economics. Prior to his election, he was the vice president of a national public opinion research company.

He and his wife Rebecca have four children, the youngest of which was born on September 2 of this year. Rebecca is a family doctor. The Genuises live in the Glen Allan neighborhood of Sherwood Park.

Issues of Importance to the Member‌

Foreign Affairs / Cost of Living / COVID-19 – Has often used opportunities at Question Period and through Order Paper Questions to ask about foreign affairs and Canada's stance on socio-political issues, the high taxes, inflation policies and cost of living that is rising, vaccination mandates, and COVID-19 restrictions.‌

Issues Raised in Relation to the PACP study‌

House of Commons – December 1, 2022‌

Mr. Genuis‌

There is more that we need to be doing to combat efforts by various foreign states that interfere in Canadian affairs. We see these efforts take various forms, with cybersecurity, hacking and other kinds of infiltration. The Russian government is doing this. We know there are other countries that are doing it.‌

On the public safety front, I think the government is behind in recognizing that the primary threat we face to our security now, here in Canada, is foreign state-backed interference in the various forms it takes. Yes, there is much more work that needs to be done.‌

Oral Questions (44th Parliament, 1st Session)

2022-12-06

Mr. Speaker, the government is attacking the Auditor General's independence in order to cover up its own incompetence.‌

More than $30 billion went to ineligible recipients; that is, people who did not meet the criteria of the programs. When the Auditor General called this out, the government's response was to criticize the work of a strong, independent professional whom the Liberals, in fact, appointed.‌

Will the Minister of Revenue apologize to the Auditor General and agree to accept all her recommendations?‌

2022-12-01

Mr. Speaker, I invite that hon. member to read the NSICOP report that was tabled by a member of her own government, which was, in fact, scathing about the government's failure to respond to the persistent problem of foreign interference.‌

We know that the Prime Minister's secrecy and refusal to answer basic questions about foreign interference is putting this debate on its back foot. He is putting his personal interest ahead of the national interest by not listening to CSIS on the benefits of sunlight and giving us the information.‌

Will the Prime Minister answer the question. Has he received briefings or memos on this subject since he last denied it, yes, or no?‌

2022-11-23

Mr. Speaker, 55 Canadians were murdered when the Iranian regime's IRGC shot down flight PS752. After that, the Iranian government bulldozed the site, destroyed the evidence, and threatened and harassed family members of victims. Now we have learned that Canada's spy agency is actively investigating credible death threats from this same regime against more Canadian citizens.‌

When is enough going to be enough for the government? When will Liberals finally use the Criminal Code, list the IRGC as a terrorist organization and shut down its operations in Canada?‌

2022-10-28

Mr. Speaker, I thought the Prime Minister loved vacations, whether visiting the Taj Mahal, flying to private islands, surfing on Truth and Reconciliation Day or spending $6,000 a night on a hotel room in London. At the same time, his over-priced arrive scam app kneecapped Canadian tourism, and now he is forcing Canadians to cancel a visit to grandma or a trip across town by tripling the carbon tax.‌

How is it fair for the costly coalition to overtax Canadians and block their travel while continuing to fund the Prime Minister's extravagance?‌

2022-10-28

Mr. Speaker, they also made sure they found a hotel in London that cost $6,000 a night. I am seriously trying to imagine what they could get for $6,000 a night. It must have been an incredible time.

Did champagne come out of the faucet, or was he busy planning his leadership campaign? Did the bill include the cost of bail for the Minister of Environment? I am sure it was such a wild time that Bill Morneau could have written a whole book about it. Could the House know once and for all, if any sleeping took place, who slept at the $6,000-a- night hotel room?

2022-10-04

Mr. Speaker, one thing the families have made very clear is that they want to see the IRGC listed as a terrorist organization, so that it can no longer operate here in Canada. This can cease to be a partisan issue as soon as the government comes along with us and does the right thing by listing it.

The fact is that the families of the victims have been harassed by the IRGC even here on Canadian soil when they have spoken out. No family deserves to see their relatives murdered and receive harassment by foreign governments here on Canadian soil.

When will the government defend our sovereignty, stand with Canadians of all backgrounds and shut down IRGC operations here in Canada?

2022-10-04

Mr. Speaker, I do not doubt the member's sincerity, but the way to honour the victims is by punishing the perpetrators. It is very simple.

The member, the Prime Minister and the entire cabinet voted for my motion to list the IRGC as a terrorist entity. In 2012, Conservatives listed the Quds Force and listed Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism, but since taking power the Liberal government has done absolutely nothing. One of its own members acknowledged on CBC yesterday that the IRGC is still operating in Canada. He called the government's actions “too little, too late”. When will it end the inaction and shut down the IRGC in Canada?

2022-10-03

Mr. Speaker, the minister speaks about our being “all together”. We were all together four years ago when the Liberals voted with the Conservatives to immediately list the IRGC as a terrorist entity. The minister, the Prime Minister and the entire cabinet voted for my motion to immediately list the IRGC four years ago, yet they did not do it. That is the problem. We have more empty words from the minister and have four years of complete inaction.

PS752 did not move them to action. The murder of Mahsa Amini still has not moved them to action. We need to replace hollow words with real action. It is a—

2022-09-21

Mr. Speaker, the government's tax increases are causing a national unity crisis, and those tax hikes will target those who can least afford to pay. The Prime Minister knows that more carbon tax increases will divide our country further and make life even less affordable, but the Prime Minister has taken the same approach all along: to raise taxes

on working people, put basic necessities like transportation and food out of reach and then try to politically exploit the division that results.

Will the government change course and cancel its planned tax increases on Canadians' paycheques?

2022-09-21

Mr. Speaker, is this real life? I ask because that answer was pure fantasy. We have inflation landslides and no escape from poverty. When will the Prime Minister open up his eyes and see? He is not a poor boy, but he should have some sympathy. For too many Canadians, opportunity had just begun and now the government is going to throw it all away.

Money is not easy come, easy go in this economy, so when will the government cancel its planned tax increases on gas, home heating and groceries and spare us from this inflation monstrosity?

Written Questions (44th Parliament – 1st Session)

• Q-392 — November 23, 2021 — Mr. Genuis (Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan) — With respect to the government’s energy policy: (a) how does the government define the term “fossil fuel subsidy” in the context of its commitments in this respect; (b) what level of carbon tax does the government consider necessary for Canada to meet all of its greenhouse gas reduction commitments; and (c) what is the estimated cost to the Canadian economy associated with each of the measures announced by the government at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP26?
• Q-402 — November 23, 2021 — Mr. Genuis (Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan) — With regard to the constitutionality of the mandatory COVID-19 vaccination requirements for federal employees and travellers announced on October 6, 2021: (a) has the government sought and received legal advice as to whether the provisions contained in the government’s announcement are compliant with its obligations under (i) the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, (ii) the Canadian Human Rights Act, (iii) the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, (iv) the Universal Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, (v) other laws or treaties prescribing human rights-related obligations on the government of Canada; (b) does the government intend to share any of the legal advice it has received as referenced in (a) publicly, and, if so, what are the details regarding how it will be shared; (c) does the government intend to table a Charter Statement with respect to the announcement referred to in (a); and (d) are organizations challenging the government’s policies respecting vaccination eligible for funding under the Court Challenges Program?
• Q-412 — November 23, 2021 — Mr. Genuis (Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan) — With regard to the AUKUS trilateral security pact between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States announced in September 2021: (a) on what date did the government become aware of conversations surrounding the creation of AUKUS; (b) was Canada invited to join AUKUS, and, if so, why did it decline the invitation; (c) is the government interested in having Canada join AUKUS; and (d) has the government conducted any assessments on whether the creation of AUKUS had a positive or negative impact on Canada’s national interest, and, if so, what were the findings of the assessment?
• Q-422 — November 23, 2021 — Mr. Genuis (Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan) — With regard to government meetings and representations since January 1, 2020 concerning the situation of Mr. Huseyin Celil: (a) which ministers, Liberal members of Parliament acting on behalf of a minister, political staff, or senior officials have met with Kamila Talendibaeva, and what are the details of each meeting, including (i) the date, (ii) the individuals in attendance, (iii) whether the meeting was virtual or in person; (b) which ministers, Liberal members of Parliament acting on behalf of a minister, political staff, or senior officials have met with any other representatives of Mr. Celil, and what are the details of each meeting, including (i) the date, (ii) the individuals in attendance, (iii) whether the meeting was virtual or in person; (c) has the government highlighted Mr. Celil’s case in conversations or meetings with representatives of the US government or the government of any other allied country and, if so, what are the details of each such instance, including the (i) country, (ii) title of the Canadian representative; (iii) title of the foreign official, (iii) date; and (d) what are the details of all representations which have been made to the Chinese government regarding Mr. Celil’s case by representatives of the Canadian government, including (i) who made these representations, (ii) who were they made to, (iii) the date?
• Q-351 — February 17, 2022 — Mr. Genuis (Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan) — With regard to the requirement for federal public servants to be vaccinated against COVID-19: (a) how many public servants have been placed on unpaid leave as a result of their vaccination status; (b) how many public servants have received health exemptions; (c) does the government gather information regarding the nature of individual health exemptions, such as the condition causing the need for the exemption, and, if so, what is the prevalence of different kinds of health exemptions; (d) how many public servants have received religious exemptions; (e) does the government gather information regarding the nature of individual religious exemptions, such as the particular faith of those with the exemption, and, if so, what is the prevalence of different kinds of exemptions; (f) how many public servants have applications for health exemptions pending; (g) how many public servants have applications for religious exemptions pending; (h) by what date does the government expect the applications in (f) and (g) to be resolved; (i) how many public servants had applications for a health exemption denied; (j) how many public servants had applications for a religious exemption denied; (k) for each response in (a) through (j), what is the breakdown by department, agency, or other government entity; (l) how many replacement workers has the government (i) contacted, (ii) hired, to fulfill functions previously performed by those who are on unpaid leave as a result of their vaccination status, broken down by department or agency, type of job, and job title; (m) what is the government policy related to the ability of the individual placed on leave to return to their position after it has been filled with a replacement worker; (n) what ordinary functions of the government are not currently being carried out as a result of unvaccinated workers being placed on leave without pay; (o) has the government assessed the impact on public services resulting from the decision to place unvaccinated workers on leave without pay, and, if so, what are the details of the assessment, broken down by the impact on each department; (p) how many workers are being expected to perform additional tasks as a result of colleagues being placed on leave without pay as a result of these new requirements, broken down by department or agency; (q) how many of the workers in (p) are receiving any additional compensation directly related to their colleagues being placed on leave; (r) has the government identified any increase in stress or strain for the workers referred to in (p) as a result of additional workload, and, if so, what are the details; (s) how long will the workers in (p) be expected to perform additional tasks; (t) does the government intend to hire additional replacement workers if the workers on unpaid leave continue to be on leave for more than (i) six months, (ii) nine months, (iii) 12 months; (u) has the government received legal advice regarding whether this policy is consistent with (i) existing labour agreements, (ii) the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, (iii) other human rights codes, laws, or agreements which bind the actions of the federal government; and (v) what legal advice did the government receive respecting the items in (u)?
• Q-352 — February 17, 2022 — Mr. Genuis (Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan) — With regard to direction and control regulations as it relates to the Income Tax Act: (a) what is the government’s position regarding direction and control regulations; (b) does the government support Bill S-216, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (use of resources of a registered charity); (c) have government ministers met with individuals or organizations advocating for changes to direction and control regulations, and, if so, what are the details of all such meetings, including, for each, the (i) date, (ii) names of ministers and Members of Parliament in attendance, (iii) names and titles of ministerial or political staff, as well as government officials in attendance, (iv) names and titles of individuals or organizations in attendance, (v) meeting format (in person or virtual); (d) are discussions ongoing within government about the challenges posed by and possible reforms to direction and control regulation, and, if so, which ministers and departments are involved in the discussions and what is the expected timeline for when (i) the discussions are expected to conclude, (ii) any reforms would be announced or enacted, if applicable?
• Q-353 — February 17, 2022 — Mr. Genuis (Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan) — With regard to the government listing Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist entity: (a) is the government reviewing whether or not to list the IRGC as a whole as a terrorist entity, and not just the Quds Force; (b) has the government reached a decision about whether or not to list the IRGC as a whole; (c) if the government has reached a decision, what is it; and (d) if the government has not reached a decision on the IRGC, when will it reach one?
• Q-438 — March 25, 2022 — Mr. Genuis (Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan) — With regard to the reference to a "friendly foreign state" in the Foreign Enlistment Act: (a) how does the government define this term; (b) how is a citizen to know whether or not a particular state is a friendly foreign state; (c) which states are currently considered friendly foreign states; and (d) based on the answer to (c), what is the government’s rationale for determining whether (i) Russia, (ii) Ukraine, (iii) China, (iv) Azerbaijan, (v) Armenia, (vi) Israel, (vii) Saudi Arabia, (viii) Iran, (ix) the United States of America, are considered a friendly foreign state?
• Q-498 — April 21, 2022 — Mr. Genuis (Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan) — With regard to the government’s policy on Somaliland and reaction to requests for support to rebuild the Hargeisa market: (a) what is the government's position with respect to Somaliland’s claim to independence; (b) have ministers or officials met with representatives or employees of the Government of Somaliland in the last seven years, and if so, what are the details of all such meetings, including, for each, the (i) date, (ii) location, (iii) names and titles of the individuals in attendance, (iv) purpose of the meeting, (v) outcome; (c) did the Minister of International Development receive a letter from the Canadian Alliance to rebuild Hargeisa market requesting financial support for the rebuilding of Hargeisa market; and (d) what is the government’s response to the request for financial support, including what amount, if any, the government will provide?
• Q-708 — June 20, 2022 — Mr. Genuis (Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan) — With regard to the government’s position related to allegations of genocide as defined by the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide being committed: is it the position of the government that (i) Canada or actors in Canada are currently committing genocide against any group, (ii) the Government of Sri Lanka has committed genocide against Tamils, (iii) the Government of China is currently committing genocide against Uyghurs, (iv) the government of any other member state of the United Nations is currently committing genocide, and if so, which ones, (v) any non- state actors is currently committing genocide, and, if so, which ones?
• Q-709 — June 20, 2022 — Mr. Genuis (Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan) — With regard to Canada’s international development assistance since 2016: (a) has the government funded the provision of any healthcare services in a country or place where those services are illegal, and, if so, what are the details, including what services were funded, broken down by country: (b) has the government funded any organizations that provide healthcare services in violation of local laws; and (c) with respect to (a) and (b), which organization, which programs, which countries, and on what dates were the programs funded?
• Q-710 — June 20, 2022 — Mr. Genuis (Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan) — With regard to COVID-19 transmission within Canada: (a) how many Canadians are known to have contracted COVID-19 while on a domestic flight (i) between July 1, 2020, and
• July 1, 2021, (ii) between July 1, 2021, and Oct 29, 2021 (iii) between Oct 30, 2021, and November 29, 2021, (iv) since November 30, 2021; (b) how many Canadians are known to have contracted COVID-19 while in an airport (i) between July 1, 2020 and July 1, 2021, (ii) between July 1, 2021, and Oct 29, 2021 (iii) between Oct 30, 2021 and November 29, 2021, (iv) since November 30, 2021; (c) how many Canadians are known to have contracted COVID-19 while on a VIA Rail train (i) between July 1, 2020 and July 1, 2021, (ii) between July 1, 2021 and Oct 29, 2021 (iii) between Oct 30, 2021 and November 29, 2021, (iv) since November 30, 2021; and (d) how many Canadians are known to have contracted COVID-19 while in a VIA Rail train station (i) between July 1, 2020 and July 1, 2021, (ii) between July 1, 2021 and Oct 29, 2021 (iii) between Oct 30, 2021 and November 29, 2021, (iv) since November 30, 2021?
• Q-711 — June 20, 2022 — Mr. Genuis (Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan) — With regard to engagement with the Russian embassy in Ottawa, since February 23, 2022: (a) how many meetings, phone calls, or email exchanges have occurred between ministers, ministerial staff, parliamentary secretaries, or public servants, and representatives of the Russian embassy; (b) what were the (i) dates, (ii) times, (iii) details, (iv) objectives, (v) outcomes, of the meetings or exchanges in (a); (c) how many social events hosted by the government were held where the Russian embassy or an employee of the Russian embassy received an invitation; (d) what were the (i) dates, (ii) times, (iii) locations, (iv) details, of the social events in (c); (e) how many social events hosted by the Russian embassy did a Canadian minister, ministerial staffer, parliamentary secretary, or public servant attend: and (f) what were the (i) dates, (ii) times, (iii) locations, (iv) details, of the social events in (e)?
• Q-784 — September 20, 2022 — Mr. Genuis (Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan) — With regard to the special immigration measures and program announced by the government for Ukrainian migrants following the start of the further Russian invasion on February 24, 2022: (a) how many people have come to Canada under these measures; (b) how many applications to come under these measures are currently in process; (c) how many applications to come under these measures have been rejected; (d) what is the average processing time for applications through the program; (e) how many of those accepted under the program were (i) women, (ii) under 18 years old, (iii) over 60 years old, (iv) men between the ages of 18 and 60; (f) what is the complete demographic breakdown of those accepted under the program; (g) how many of those accepted through the program were living outside of Ukraine prior to February 24, 2022; and (h) what is the breakdown of (g) by country where they were living?
• Q-785 — September 20, 2022 — Mr. Genuis (Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan) — With regard to Global Affairs Canada and the Tigray region of Ethiopia: (a) how much money did the government spend on international development for people in the Tigray region between September 1, 2021 and September 1, 2022; (b) what is the breakdown of (a) by programs and projects which received the funding, including how much each program or project received; (c) what is the government’s position on the recent resumption of fighting in Tigray; (d) what is the government’s position on the air raid that hit a kindergarten in Tigray on August 26, 2022; (e) did the government release any statements or make any representations to the Ethiopian government regarding (c) or (d), and, if so, what are the details, and, if not, why not; (f) is the government considering sanctions against any person or entity in Ethiopia in relations to actions taken in Tigray, and, if so what persons or entities are being considered; (g) has the government made any offers to the Ethiopian government or any other party to mediate in the conflict in Tigray, and, if so, what are the details; (h) what is the government’s understanding of the situation related to whether or not the Eritrean army is active in Tigray; (i) has the government made any representations to the government of Eritrea regarding the conflict; (j) is the government considering sanctions against any person or entity in Eritrea in relations to actions taken in Tigray, and, if so, what persons or entities are being considered; and (k) has the government spoken or raised questions about the situation in Tigray in any international forum, and, if so, what are the details including, for each instance, (i) the date, (ii) the forum in which it was raised, (iii) who spoke or raised question, (iv) summary of what was asked or said?
• Q-786 — September 20, 2022 — Mr. Genuis (Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan) — With regard to the government’s approach to China and Taiwan: has the government made any plans related to how it will respond to a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, and, if so, what are the plans?
• Q-787 — September 20, 2022 — Mr. Genuis (Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan) — With regard to the government’s response to the report, earlier this year, from the United Nations’ High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, on human rights abuses in Xinjiang: (a) what is the government’s position on the report and its conclusions; (b) does the government acknowledge that Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in China are facing an ongoing genocide; (c) does the government acknowledge that Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in China are facing crimes against humanity or other international crimes; and (d) does the government plan to state what specific international crimes are being committed against Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims, and, if so, when will the government be making such a statement?
• Q-1071 — December 5, 2022 — Mr. Genuis (Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan) — With regard to the government’s efforts to measure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions: (a) what levels of greenhouse gas emissions were produced as a result of (i) the Prime Minister’s travel and work, (ii) publicly funded travel or official engagements by members of the Prime Minister’s family, (iii) the travel and work of staff in the Office of the Prime Minister, to date this year and in each preceding year, since 2015, broken down by individual and by year; and (b) what levels of greenhouse gas emissions were produced as a result of ministers’ travel and work to date this year and in each of the preceding years since 2015, broken out by Minister and by year.
• Q-1072 — December 5, 2022 — Mr. Genuis (Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan) — With regard to a list submitted to the government in September 2021, containing 650 names of Afghan Ahmadi Muslims on the Taliban’s hit list: (a) has the government allowed any of these people on the list to come to Canada under special immigration measures implemented for Afghanistan, and, if so, how many; (b) does the government intend to allow all or some of these people to come to Canada under special immigration measures implemented for Afghanistan; and (c) are any of the 650 names also on the list of 40,000 Afghans that the government has committed to resettling in Canada, and, if so, how many?
• Q-1073 — December 5, 2022 — Mr. Genuis (Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan) — With regard to Export Development Canada's (EDC) forgiveness of loans worth $822,161,848 in the 2021-22 fiscal year: (a) how many businesses received loan forgiveness; (b) what is the breakdown of (a) by province or territory; (c) what were the names of the businesses that received loan forgiveness; (d) what was the total value of loan forgiveness that each business received; (e) which of these businesses had previously received loan forgiveness from EDC; (f) which of these businesses lobbied the government for loan forgiveness; and (g) which of these businesses have received procurement contracts with the government in the last five years?
• Q-1074 — December 5, 2022 — Mr. Genuis (Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan) — With regard to the report in the Public Accounts of Canada 2022 that Global Affairs Canada lost $82,902 due to a single instance of fraudulent activity: (a) what was the nature of the fraudulent activity; (b) were the individuals involved in this fraudulent activity identified, and, if so, (i) what were their names, (ii) what organizations or businesses were they affiliated with, (iii) were they prosecuted, (iv) what were the outcomes of any court proceeding involving this fraud; (c) were efforts made to recover the lost funds, and, if so, why weren't those efforts successful; and (d) did this incident lead to any policy changes, and, if so, what were those policy changes?

Private Member's Business

This member does not have any active Private Member's bills or motions this session of interest or pertaining to SSC.

Han Dong – LPC

Constituency: Don Valley North

Province: Ontario‌

Professional Background: Member of Provincial Parliament at Queen's Park from 2014-2018‌

Education:‌‌

Date of Birth: 1977‌

Official Biography‌

Raised and educated in Toronto, Mr. Dong, his sister, and his‌ parents immigrated to Canada from Shanghai in the early 1990s. Growing up working at his parent's 24-hour coffee shop, Mr. Dong learned the value of hard work, family, and community which ultimately lead him to public service.‌

In 2019, Mr. Dong was elected as the Member of Parliament for Don Valley North. He currently serves as the Co-Chair Canada-China Legislative Association, a member of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills, and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities, and a member of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy, and Ethics.‌

Prior to being elected to the House of Commons in Ottawa, Mr. Dong served as a Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) at Queen's Park from 2014-2018, standing up for public education, and consumer rights.‌

A passionate advocate for our Community, Mr. Dong has continuously stood up for the residents of Don Valley North, advocating for safer communities, easing traffic congestion, action to combat climate change, and housing affordability. Mr. Dong has proven that he will never stop working hard to support the residents of our diverse, dynamic, and forward-looking community. Mr. Dong and his wife Sophie are the proud parents of Emma and Matthew, and their extra-large dog Seesea.‌

Parliamentary Roles‌

44th Parliament, 1st Session

• Member – Industry and Technology
• Member – Public Accounts‌

43rd Parliament, 2nd Session

• Member – Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics
• Member – Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities‌

43rd Parliament, 1st Session‌

• Member – Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics‌
• Member – Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities

Issues of Importance to the Member‌

Consumers Rights – Was a strong advocate for consumer rights in his previous role as an MPP and has used opportunities to ask questions in committee meetings to ask about consumer rights.‌

Issues Raised in Relation to the PACP study

N/A‌

Oral Questions (44th Parliament, 1st Session)

2022-11-29

Mr. Speaker, Canada is working day and night to ensure that Afghans and their families who helped Canada's mission to help women and girls read and write, maintain peace and build democracy in Afghanistan will have a safe haven here. We know the Taliban is trying to reverse this progress and making it harder for those fleeing persecution to escape the country. Can the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship give us an update on how Canada is stepping up to provide safe passage to Afghans who are most in need of protection?

2022-10-07

Madam Speaker, I know the Prime Minister and his government work diligently in the best interests of Canadians. On behalf of my constituents of Don Valley North, I thank them. The Organization of American States is the oldest regional organization in the world. This is an important avenue for advancing Canada's goal to increase economic opportunities and strengthen security and institutions.

This week, the Minister of Foreign Affairs was in Peru to attend the 52nd regular session of the OAS. Can the parliamentary secretary inform this House on this important trip and its benefit to our relations with other American states?

2022-09-23

Mr. Speaker, with the world reopening after the pandemic we have seen more people are travelling to Canada to visit, to work and to study, and some are starting their new lives here. We know immigration is critically important to Canada's economic recovery and future prosperity. In my riding of Don Valley North, there are newcomers contributing so much to our local economy and local community.

Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship update the House? What is the government doing to welcome more visitors to Canada?

2022-03-24

Mr. Speaker, last year, Canada saw record levels of international trade. Our government continues to open new opportunities for Canadian businesses to export and to expand. The United Kingdom is one of our closest friends and largest trading partners. I know the minister for international trade has been working hard on strengthening our trade ties with the U.K.

Can the minister update us on her recent activities in diversifying our trade relations with the United Kingdom?

Written Questions (44th Parliament – 1st Session)

N/A

Private Member's Business

This member does not have any active Private Member's bills or motions this session of interest or pertaining to SSC.

Jean Yip – LPC

Constituency: Scarborough—Agincourt‌

Province: Ontario‌

Professional Background: Insurance and underwriting‌

Education: University of Toronto, Fellow Chartered Insurance Professional Designation‌

Date of Birth: 1968‌

Official Biography‌

Jean Yip is a devoted community leader who is committed to‌ working with Justin Trudeau and the Liberal team to grow and strengthen our middle class. She understands what it takes to create new well-paying jobs for families in Scarborough—Agincourt.‌

Ms. Yip was born in Scarborough, and raised in Agincourt, and has deep roots in the community. Ms. Yip's mother and father immigrated to Canada, and she grew up in Agincourt surrounded by their values of hard work, family, and compassion – values which she now instills in the three sons she raised with her late husband, Arnold Chan.‌

After completing her degree at the University of Toronto, Ms. Yip pursued a career in insurance and underwriting, becoming a team leader in her field. Ms. Yip holds the Fellow Chartered Insurance Professional Designation.‌

Prior to becoming an MP, Ms. Yip was focused on her community and her family, stepping up to serve Scarborough—Agincourt. She has taught Sunday school at her church for over 13 years and has been involved with the STEM Fellowship Board of Directors which promotes computer literacy and programming capacity among youth.‌

In Parliament, Ms. Yip sits on the Standing Committee on Public Accounts and Special Committee on Canada-China Relations. She also serves as Co-Chair of the Liberal Seniors Caucus. Ms. Yip is also a member of the Liberal Party's Caucuses on Immigration, and Mental Health as well as Women's and Scarborough Caucuses where she brings attention to the issues facing the people of Scarborough—Agincourt. Ms. Yip is a member of the Canada-China Legislative Association, as well as the Canada- Armenia, Canada-Philippines Parliamentary Friendship Group, and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.‌

Since being elected, Ms. Yip has spoken in the House of Commons on many issues including student employment, pension security, National Daffodil Day, the Anniversary of Armenian Independence, and removing barriers to STEM.

Parliamentary Roles‌

44th Parliament, 1st Session

• Vice-Chair – Public Accounts
• Member – Canada-China Relations‌

43rd Parliament, 2nd Session

• Member – Canada-China Relations
• Member – Public Accounts‌

43rd Parliament, 1st Session

• Member – Public Accounts
• Member – Canada-China Relations‌

42nd Parliament, 1st Session

• Member – Government Operations and Estimates
• Member – Public Accounts‌

Issues of Importance to the Member

Immigration / Canada-China Relations – Has first-hand experience as the child of immigrant parents and is a long-standing member of the committee on Canada-China Relations.‌

Issues Raised in Relation to the PACP study‌

OGGO – December 6, 2018‌

Ms. Yip:‌

With three new enterprise data centres, in terms of the security and service risks, I'm wondering how they're going to avoid the fate of the 160 closed-down legacy data centres. What safeguards will be there to guard privacy and security, and do you have enough funds allocated for safeguarding that?‌

Mr. Ron Parker (President of SSC):‌

The government has made significant investments in cybersecurity and IT security since 2016. The funds allocated to the enterprise data centres are very much intended to better secure the data and the functioning of the IT systems in them.‌

To start with, in terms of the physical layout of these data centres, they are physically protected, segregated in a way that the old data centres were not. They are not, for example, incorporated in commercial buildings. Because of this, as well, they have dedicated power supplies, dedicated heating and cooling, and dedicated telephone lines and communication lines. All of this builds redundancy into these enterprise data centres.‌

As the minister said, another feature they have is built-in redundancy, so if there is a failure of a power supply system, they have two or three more generators to pick up the need to run for a long period of time.

In terms of IT security, it is built in by design, following the Treasury Board policies around security. Furthermore, there are all of the technical controls that we receive from security agencies. These are modern, state-of-the-art data centres that will protect the data of Canadians.

Oral Questions (44th Parliament, 1st Session):

2022-11-03

Mr. Speaker, a Scarborough—Agincourt constituent recently emailed me because he was distressed after reading about alleged illegal Chinese police stations in Scarborough and Markham. These alleged police stations or administrative centres are used to exert pressure on Chinese nationals located in Canada. How can we reassure Canadians who feel intimidated or coerced?

Could the Minister of Public Safety provide an update on what actions are being taken?

2022-10-31

Mr. Speaker, as a result of the ongoing conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, my Scarborough— Agincourt constituents and beyond are concerned about the 240 deaths and the many destroyed civilian settlements in Armenia. A ceasefire was agreed upon in September

14. However, recent reports suggest further escalation.

Our government announced it will open a full embassy in Armenia, and we are actively engaging with our Armenian partners to strengthen their democracy. Can the Minister of Foreign Affairs update us on the steps we have taken to secure peace in this area and how we are supporting the strengthening of democracy in Armenia?

2022-06-16

Mr. Speaker, Scarborough—Agincourt is home to a large, vibrant Armenian community. Canada and Armenia have deep, and long-standing people-to-people ties, and Canada must support Armenians' efforts to improve their democracy.

Recently, special envoy Stéphane Dion submitted his report to the Minister of Foreign Affairs on how Canada can support Armenians in their efforts to advance democratic progress and build on our relationship. Could the foreign affairs minister share with this House the findings of this report on how Canada can best support Armenia?

2022-03-29

Mr. Speaker, for months Ontarians have been eagerly awaiting an update on the status of negotiations between provincial and federal governments on a childcare agreement. This has been a significant issue for people in my riding of Scarborough—Agincourt because we know Ontario families have been paying some of the highest fees in the country.

Could the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development please update the House on yesterday's announcement and what it will mean for families in Scarborough and across Ontario?

2022-03-01

Mr. Speaker, at the onset of this pandemic, our government acted swiftly by introducing emergency measures to keep Canadians financially afloat. While these benefits have been crucial for so many families, including those in my riding of Scarborough—Agincourt, I have personally heard from seniors that it has resulted in the reduction of the GIS payments they rely on to make ends meet.

Could the Minister of Seniors inform the House of what we are doing to strengthen income security for seniors who are dependent on the GIS?

2022-02-16

Mr. Speaker, immigrants from coast to coast to coast have significantly contributed to the prosperity of this country and my riding of Scarborough—Agincourt. Last year we exceeded our goal of welcoming over 401,000 immigrants who will make Canada their home. This was a historical record that will help shape Canada’s growth.

Can the Prime Minister update the House on our government’s plan to welcome more newcomers in the coming years?

Written Questions (44th Parliament – 1st Session)

N/A

Private Member's Business

This member does not have any active Private Member's bills or motions this session of interest or pertaining to SSC.

John Williamson – CPC

Committee Chair

Constituency: New Brunswick Southwest‌

Province: New Brunswick‌

Professional Background: Director of Communications in the Office of the Prime Minister, public policy research and conservative movement activism‌

Education: Master's degree in economic history from the London School of Economics, Bachelor's degree from McGill University‌

Date of Birth: 1970‌

Official Biography

‌

Member of Parliament John Williamson has over 25 years of experience in public policy research and conservative movement activism. He was re-elected to Parliament in 2021 after being returned in 2019, representing New Brunswick Southwest. He is chairman of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Accounts as well as chairman of the Atlantic Conservative parliamentary caucus.‌

Mr. Williamson was also the MP for New Brunswick Southwest until 2015. Prior to his election to the House of Commons in 2011, he worked as Stephen Harper's Director of Communications in the Office of the Prime Minister.‌

During his time in Parliament, Mr. Williamson served as a member of the House of Commons committee investigating all aspects of the Canada-China relationship. He also successfully led efforts to reform gold-plated pensions for Members of Parliament, introduced a Private Member's Bill to eliminate lifetime parliamentary pensions for federal politicians convicted of criminal malfeasance, and voted with Conservative colleagues to end the Liberal's wasteful and ineffective Long-Gun Registry.‌

In 2016, Mr. Williamson launched Canadians for Affordable Energy to promote the benefits of energy affordability. He was National Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) from January 2004 to September 2008, and CTF Ontario Director from September 2002 to December 2003. He has also worked for the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies, is a past Fellow with the Manning Centre for Building Democracy and Senior Fellow with the Fraser Institute.‌

Before entering politics, Mr. Williamson campaigned on behalf of the CTF to lower income and gasoline taxes and expose wasteful government spending. He supported the Conservative Government’s two-point GST cut, a one-third cut to Canada’s business tax rate and its monthly child-care allowance paid to parents with young children.

His work has been featured in national publications such as the National Post, Maclean’s magazine, Toronto’s Globe & Mail, Toronto Sun, CBC News, Vancouver Sun, C2C and others.

Mr. Williamson is a former National Post editorial writer (1998-2001) and founding member of the newspaper’s editorial board.

He has a Master’s degree in economic history from the London School of Economics and earned a bachelor’s degree from McGill University after graduating from Fredericton High School.

In 2012, Mr. Williamson met the love of his life, Kelly. Kelly Williamson is a Captain in the Royal Canadian Navy who has served both at sea and ashore and also worked with the Canadian Army, Special Operations Forces Command, and Canada’s Disaster Assistance Response Team. In 2019, Kelly was invested into the Order of Military Merit.

Mr. & Mrs. Williamson have a baby girl: Charlotte Tessa Abbigail Williamson. She was born on July 2, 2020. They live in St. Andrews with the family’s Cairn terrier Teddy. Teddy is from Harvey, New Brunswick.

Parliamentary Roles

‌

44th Parliament, 1st Session

• Chair – Public Accounts‌
• Vice-Chair – Subcommittee on International Human Rights of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development‌

43rd Parliament, 2nd Session

• Member – Canada-China Relations Member – Official Language‌

43rd Parliament, 1st Session

• Member – Canada-China Relations

41st Parliament, 2nd Session‌

• Member – Official Languages Member – National Defence

41st Parliament, 1st Session

• Member – Public Accounts‌
• Member – Foreign Affairs and International Development Member – Procedure and House Affairs‌
• Member – Official Languages‌
• Member – Health

Issues of Importance to the Member

Government Spending / Cost of Living – Has often used opportunities at Question Period and through Order Paper Questions to ask about government spending and high taxes.

Issues Raised in Relation to the PACP study

N/A

Oral Questions (44th Parliament, 1st Session)

2022-11-21

Mr. Speaker, according to Statistics Canada, families in Atlantic Canada are hardest hit by the Liberal's carbon tax on home heating fuels. On a year-over-year basis, families in New Brunswick are paying 50% more to heat their homes. It is up over 75% in Newfoundland and Labrador. The Liberals believe heat pumps will solve this energy crisis, but their carbon tax is already forcing families to decide between heating and eating.

When will the Liberals do the right thing, cancel their carbon tax and give families in New Brunswick and Atlantic Canada the break they need this winter?

2022-11-21

Mr. Speaker, no one is taking that minister's advice. No one in Atlantic Canada wants to see home heating fuels double this year. Nobody is asking the federal government to make heating more expensive.

The Liberal carbon tax is fuelling inflation. Even the Governor of the Bank of Canada says so. It is driving up the price on energy. It is driving up the price on food. It is driving up the price on life.

When Ontario, Alberta and New Brunswick were able to reduce taxes on gasoline and home heating fuels, we saw prices go down. Under the government, they are going up because it keeps raising the carbon tax and it is going to triple it. They need it to stop.

2022-11-18

Madam Speaker, whatever the Liberals touch, they break, and it is déjà vu all over again. The Auditor General has reported that the Liberal government keeps wasting tax dollars. According to the Auditor General, the Liberals are about to lose the legal authority to collect half a billion dollars in wage overpayments from the Phoenix pay system. This is on top of the $2 billion the Liberals have already spent on overpayments to civil servants. What is the minister's plan to collect these overpayments to public servants and to finally protect taxpayers?

2022-11-01

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals say they want to reduce inflation, but everything they are doing is going in the wrong direction. The Liberals are piling up more debt and taxpayers cannot keep up.

When the PM travels abroad, he stays in a $6,000-a-night hotel. The ArriveCAN scam cost $54 million and handed millions to Liberal insiders. The cost of the administrative state has exploded. The debt last year was $90 billion. The Liberals have racked up more debt than all Canadian governments combined.

When will the Liberal government stop, reverse course, bring down prices for Canadians and stop its inflationary spending?

2022-10-03

Mr. Speaker, there are two constants with the Liberal government: Liberals have never seen a tax they do not like; they have never seen a tax they will not hike.

Conservatives know that a dollar is better left with Canadians than in the hands of the politicians who taxed it. Therefore, will this government cancel its plan to triple, triple, triple its carbon tax on groceries, gasoline and home energy fuels?

2022-10-03

Mr. Speaker, this government will triple the tax on gasoline, triple the tax on energy and make everything Canadians buy more expensive. Liberals do not have a plan for the environment; they have a bone-crushing tax plan. The carbon tax is costing families more and more each day, and Canadians know it.

A carbon tax is a tax on everything. The Liberals are pushing Canadians to the brink of financial dissolution with their high-tax agenda. Will the government cancel its plans to tax gasoline, energy and home energy fuels?

2022-05-19

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals keep blaming Russia's war in Ukraine for the big price difference for gasoline between Canada and the United States, but that is Liberal disinformation. The objective of Canada's carbon tax is to make gasoline more expensive, and it is working. The Liberals should be taking credit for making energy more expensive with their punitive carbon tax.

After the exchange rate, gasoline in my riding is $2 a litre, and it is only $1.50 in the state of Maine. That difference is all tax. What does Russia have to do with that?

2022-05-16

Mr. Speaker, the objective of Canada's carbon tax is to make gasoline more expensive. The Liberal member for Halifax even said there needs to be pain at the pumps. Well, mission accomplished. The difference in pump prices between southwest New Brunswick and northeast Maine after the exchange rate is 50¢ per litre. It is $2 in my riding and $1.50 in Calais, Maine. Since New Brunswick's oil refinery supplies both countries with pump gasoline, that difference is all tax.

Why are the Liberal ministers and the Deputy Prime Minister not taking credit for making energy more expensive? It is precisely what they want.

2022-05-10

Mr. Speaker, the Saint John oil refinery produces gasoline for pumps in Atlantic Canada and New England. In southwest New Brunswick today, a litre of gasoline is selling for $1.89, but less than 10 minutes away, in Calais, Maine, gasoline, after the currency exchange, is 50¢ less a litre. The difference is all taxes, which the Liberals and NDP plan on driving up every year going forward.

Why is the government working so hard to drive up energy prices and make energy and life more unaffordable for Canadians?

2022-03-28

Mr. Speaker, the health minister's lines on COVID-19 change with the blink of an eye. Last month he told the House that provincial governments determine mask mandates. Now Liberals want fully vaccinated Canadian families that travel to the United States and return home to wear masks in all public settings for 14 days.

Where is the science for this unenforceable demand, and why is Ottawa interfering with what it previously said was provincial jurisdiction?

Written Questions (44th Parliament – 1st Session)

• Q-79 — November 24, 2021 — Mr. Williamson (New Brunswick Southwest) — With regard to the impact of inflation on the Market Basket Measure (MBM) and the poverty line: (a) what is the current, or latest, MBM for the reference family and various poverty lines in each of the MBM geographic areas in New Brunswick; (b) what was the "2018- base MBM" for the reference family and various poverty lines in each geographic area in (a); (c) what percentage of individuals living in each area in (a) were below each poverty line in 2018; (d) what percentage of individuals living in each area in (a) fall below each poverty line based on the current, or latest, MBM; and (e) what are the government's estimates or projections for where the poverty lines mentioned in (b) will be by the end of (i) 2022, (ii) 2023, (iii) 2024?
• Q-140 — December 1, 2021 — Mr. Williamson (New Brunswick Southwest) — With regard to legal costs incurred by the government in relation to its legal application launched in June 2021 against the Speaker of the House of Commons, as well as any subsequent legal action related to this case: (a) what is the total number of billable hours incurred by outside legal counsel to prepare this application and subsequent legal action; (b) what is the total amount (i) paid out, (ii) scheduled to be paid out, by the government to outside legal counsel to prepare this application and subsequent legal action; (c) what is the total number of federal civil servants that were assigned to assist in the preparation of this application, broken down by department or agency; (d) which ministers, ministerial exempt staff, or senior government officials participated in the preparation of this application; (e) which ministers, ministerial exempt staff, or government officials had outside legal expenses covered by the government in relation to this application or the related order of the House of Commons; (f) what was the total amount (i) paid out, (ii) scheduled to be paid out, in legal expenses related to (e); and (g) which departments or agencies allocated resources to prepare the legal application, and what specific resources did each department or agency allocate?
• Q-334 — February 14, 2022 — Mr. Williamson (New Brunswick Southwest) — With regard to government funding provided to BC Ferries and to East Coast Ferries, since January 1, 2019, and broken down by year: (a) what is the total amount provided to BC Ferries; (b) what is the total amount provided to BC Ferries through (i) the Safe Restart Agreement, (ii) other programs, broken down by program; (c) what is the total amount provided to East Coast Ferries for their service between Deer Island and Campobello; and (d) what is the total amount provided to East Coast Ferries, through (i) the Safe Restart Agreement, (ii) other programs, broken down by program?
• Q-770 — September 16, 2022 — Mr. Williamson (New Brunswick Southwest) — With regard to the $49.2 billion in total funds approved for loans and expansion under the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA): (a) what is the (i) number, (ii) dollar amount, of CEBA loans that the government projected would have to be written off for bad debt or other reasons, such as fraud; (b) what is the (i) number, (ii) dollar amount, of CEBA loans that the government budgeted would have to be written off for bad debt or other reasons, such as fraud; (c) in what published document, if any, and on what date, was the dollar amount in (b) made public; (d) what is the (i) number, (ii) dollar value, of CEBA loans that have been written off to date; and (e) what is the (i) number, (ii) dollar value, of CEBA loans that the government projects will be written off in the future, but have not yet been written off?
• Q-771 — September 16, 2022 — Mr. Williamson (New Brunswick Southwest) — With regard to fines issued by Transport Canada to Canadian Coast Guard ships and other vessels owned by the government, since 2016: what are the details of each instance, including (i) the date, (ii) the type of vessel, (iii) the summary of the incident or infraction, (iv) the location of the incident or infraction, (v) the amount of fine, (vi) who paid the fine and whether the fine was paid out of personal or public funds?
• Q-1003 — November 21, 2022 — Mr. Williamson (New Brunswick Southwest) — With regard to the relocation of the Department of National Defence’s (DND) headquarters from the Major-General George R. Pearkes Building, in downtown Ottawa, to the former Nortel campus site, on Carling Avenue: (a) how many DND employees are still working in the downtown location; (b) what is the date by which all of the DND employees in (a) will be moved to the Carling location; (c) what are the ongoing costs associated with keeping the downtown building operational and functional for the DND employees who remain there; and (d) what are the government’s plans for the downtown location, including the (i) description of any planned renovations, including timelines, (ii) costs associated or projected with the renovations, (iii) details of the number of employees, including from which department, expected to work in the building following the completion of the renovations?

Private Member's Business

This member does not have any active Private Member's bills or motions this session of interest or pertaining to SSC.

Kelly J. McCauley ‒ CPC

Constituency: Edmonton West

Province: Alberta‌

Professional Background: Mr. McCauley is a hospitality executive with over 30 years' experience managing hotels and convention centres. He was first elected to the House of Commons in 2015.‌

Education: He graduated from the British Columbia Institute of Technology in 1982, from the Hospitality Management program.‌

Date of Birth: 1964‌

Official Biography‌

Kelly J. McCauley was elected Member of Parliament for Edmonton West in October 2015. He was re-elected for a third term in 2021. Mr. McCauley was born and raised in North Vancouver, graduating from the British Columbia Institute of Technology in 1982. Prior to entering politics, Mr. McCauley spent more than 30 years managing hotels and convention centres from Victoria to St. John's. During that time, he served on many volunteer boards including as Vice President of the Burnaby Board of Trade and Vice Chair of the Avalon Convention and Visitors Bureau.‌

As an advocate for seniors, Mr. McCauley is a past President of the Greater Victoria Eldercare Foundation, the largest seniors' hospital foundation on Vancouver Island, for which he continues to serve as a special advisor. In recognition of his advocacy for veterans, Mr. McCauley was named an honorary member of the Vancouver Island Aircrew Association.‌

In Edmonton, Mr. McCauley has served on the Executive Committee of the Board of Northlands, the board of the Alberta Aviation Museum, was Chairperson of the EI Board of Referees for Edmonton and Northern Alberta and was a founding co-chair of the Edmonton Destination Marketing Hotels. Kelly's wife, Sasha, and their two sons live in West Edmonton.‌

Parliamentary Roles

44th Parliament, 1st Session

• Chair – Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates Member – Standing Committee on Public Accounts

43rd Parliament, 2nd Session

• Member – Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates

43rd Parliament, 1st Session:

• Member – Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates
• Member – Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates

42nd Parliament, 1st Session:

• Member – Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates

Issues of Importance to the Member‌

Helping the underserved – Interested in how the Government supports women, racialized people, and persons with disabilities. Often requests breakdowns from SSC on procurements for companies owned/led by such individuals, as well as focusing on GBA+ analyses.

Issues Raised in Relation to the PACP study‌

Committee of the Whole – May 19, 2022

Mr. McCauley:

Madam Chair, there is $32 million in purchases from small businesses for direct non- cloud services, and about $20 million for cloud. That is the truth, right from the government's own numbers.‌

Amazon has sold items promoting Xinjiang cotton, three of which directly use forced labour. Will the minister immediately end all government Amazon purchases and buy from local Canadian businesses instead?‌

OGGO – May 31, 2021‌

Mr. McCauley:‌

What about Crown corporations? Are they treated exactly like government departments?‌

Scott Jones (Head, Canadian Centre for Cyber Security):‌

No, Mr. Chair. Crown corporations have a unique status. We are able to provide the same levels of service that we do for all federal organizations. Just because of their structure, their chief executives tend to have more flexibility in terms of what they decide, more like the private sector, in terms of what they do for cybersecurity, but we do work with many of them.‌

Mr. McCauley:‌

Yes, a lot of that, obviously, was decided years ago before we had such issues coming up. Is that something on which we need a rethink? Yes, Crown corporations operate at arm's length, but that being said, for something like cybersecurity, should we have a rethink to bring it under CSE?‌

Scott Jones:‌

Well, as I said, we are able to provide the full range of services that we do for the federal government. It is by far our biggest client, but those are optional for Crown corporations. They make the choice. We have made the offer to every one of them to work with them just as we do with every government department.‌

Oral Questions (43rd Parliament)

2022-12-08

Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General has again exposed the incompetence of the government, saying $32 billion were wasted paying COVID cash to low-income prisoners, low-income deceased, people living overseas and non-eligible corporations. The Parliamentary Budget Officer has found $4 billion more wasted, with people being sent money who will actually earn more income than the program will allow them to qualify.

Will the Liberal government end its wasteful inflationary spending so Canadians can afford to put food on their tables and heat their houses?

2022-09-28

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are getting walloped by not just inflation. Even after paying more for everything because of Liberal inflation, Canadians are spending more on taxes than food, clothing and shelter combined. Here come the Liberals with another tax hike come January. There is no way for the Liberals to spin these tax hikes.

Come January, Canadians will have less money in their pockets and smaller paycheques. Will the government commit to cancelling these damaging paycheques?

2022-06-17

Madam Speaker, the Liberals continue to fail Canadians on transparency. Official complaints on access to information requests are up 71%. The Treasury Board has delayed its ATIP review for years, and the government continues to keep most of its ATIP staff at home, yet somehow it managed to pay over $36 million to private consultants to process information requests, including over $300,000 for one single request.

Has the government given up on “open by default” and replaced it with “incompetent by default”?

2022-06-10

Mr. Speaker, Edmonton's food bank is facing record demand. At the same time, it is facing a 30% increase in operating costs due to runaway Liberal gas inflation. These are resources taken directly away from the people they are trying to help. Edmonton charities need help. The Liberals can help immediately by reducing gas taxes and suspending the carbon tax.

Will the Liberals commit to helping those in need, or do they think perhaps the food bank should feed the needy with dishonest Liberal talking points?

2022-06-07

Mr. Speaker, the contracting authority must not issue multiple contracts against a single requirement or back-to-back contracts to the same supplier in order to avoid obtaining the approval required by statute. These are Treasury Board contracting rules, yet the government has refused to address the rampant splitting of contracts that benefit government insiders.

Internal government documents show several hundred of these violations of the law. Will the President of the Treasury Board commit to the law or commit, instead, to Liberal insiders?

2022-06-03

Madam Speaker, government departments are continuing to violate Treasury Board rules by allowing Liberal insiders and preferred vendors to split contracts in order to avoid a competitive bid process. An Order Paper question that came back shows several hundred examples of this. This was brought up to the previous Treasury Board president, who frankly could not care less.

Will the new President of the Treasury Board address this or will she too turn a Liberal blind eye to this corruption?

2022-05-30

Mr. Speaker, Firefighter Aid Ukraine, based in my riding of Edmonton West, has been delivering crucial life-saving equipment and supplies to Ukraine for the past eight years. The Russian invasion has only made its work more critical. It has collected 25 tonnes of life-saving medical supplies desperately needed for Ukraine's doctors and hospitals. An oil and gas company has donated the transport fuel needed to get the supplies over to Ukraine. All it needs is a transport plane to get it there.

Will the government provide this plane?

2022-05-20

Madam Speaker, Immigration Canada’s annual “Fees Report” notes that just 19% of passports were processed within the required timelines, and this audit was well before the current surge and delays. At the same time, 88% of executives at Immigration Canada received hefty performance bonuses.

Does the minister believe failing Canadians applying for passports 81% of the time warrants performance bonuses?

2022-05-20

Madam Speaker, the government was failing 81% of the time before the current surge. The Service Fees Act requires government to develop service standards for government services that charge fees, such as for passports. It also requires the government to refund such fees if such standards are not met, under the directive on charging and special financial authorities.

The government has not been meeting its standard for passport application services, as we know, for well over 80% of people. Therefore, is the government refunding these Canadians, as is required under law?

2022-05-13

Mr. Speaker, government documents have revealed the Liberals paid out tens and tens of millions in bonuses to public service executives last year: 89% of executives got bonuses, despite the departmental result report showing overall departments missed over half of their targets. There is no clean drinking water on reserves: bonus. There is no fix to the Phoenix pay system: bonus. Vital PPE is thrown in the trash: bonus.

Why is the government so hell-bent on paying taxpayers' money to reward failure?

Written Questions (44th Parliament – 1st Session)

• Q-91 — With regard to the impact of inflation on the Market Basket Measure (MBM) and the poverty line: (a) what is the current, or latest, MBM for the reference family and various poverty lines in each of the MBM geographic areas in Alberta; (b) what was the “2018- base MBM” for the reference family and various poverty lines in each geographic area in (a); (c) what percentage of individuals living in each area in (a) were below each poverty line in 2018; and (d) what percentage of individuals living in each area in (a) fall below each poverty line based on the current, or latest, MBM; (e) what are the government’s estimates or projections where the poverty line in (b) will be by end of (i) 2022, (ii) 2023, (iii) 2024; and (f) what are the government’s projections on the number and percentage of Alberta seniors whose income levels will fall below the poverty line in each of the next three years?
• Q-92 — With regard to the procurement of supplies related to the COVID-19 pandemic: (a) what is the number and percentage of contracts and the total amount and percentage of the total amount of all spending on supplies that went to organizations owned by (i) women, (ii) Indigenous people, (iii) people of colour, broken down by region; and (b) what is the breakdown of (a) by province or territory?
• Q-93 — With regard to the Prime Minister’s pledge to lower oil and gas emissions: what is the projected loss of (i) jobs, (ii) federal tax revenue from the province of Alberta and the federal government for the year 2022 as a result of the pledge?
• Q-94 — With regard to the 4.7% rise in the Consumer Price Index over the last year and future inflation: (a) what are the government’s estimates on the added increase the rise has had on trucking costs; and (b) what are the government’s estimates and projections for the next 12 months on the increase in food prices as a result of the added trucking costs?
• Q-305 — With regard to overpayments made by the Phoenix pay system: (a) what was the total amount of overpayments made by the system; (b) of the amount in (a), how much (i) has been recovered, (ii) has not yet been recovered; and (c) of the amount not yet recovered, how much has been written off by the government due to (i) the six-year limitation period, (ii) other reasons, broken down by reason?
• Q-311 — With regard to the estimated $1,235.4 million in overpayments of income benefit payments by the government listed on page 147 of the 2021 Public Accounts of Canada, Volume I: (a) how many Canadians received such overpayments; (b) what is the value of the overpayments which (i) has been forgiven, (ii) has been recovered, (iii) has not yet been recovered, but is expected to be recovered, by the government; (c) of the amount that has been forgiven, what is the value that was forgiven to higher income Canadians; and (d) what is the breakdown of (c) by income bracket, broken down by $5,000 intervals for higher income Canadians?
• Q-312 — With regard to the budgetary loan provided to China in the amount of $365,714,786, listed on page 307 of the 2021 Public Accounts of Canada, Volume I: (a) what interest rate is China paying on the loan; and (b) what are the terms and length of repayment agreed to by China in relation to the loan?
• Q-376 — With regard to the distribution of rapid tests for COVID-19 to the provinces and territories: (a) how many rapid tests were distributed to each province or territory, broken down by month since March 2020; (b) what is the total number of rapid tests distributed; (c) what is the breakdown of the number of rapid tests distributed that were (i) manufactured in Canada, (ii) imported from outside of Canada; and (d) of the imported rapid tests, what is the breakdown of the number of tests by country of origin?
• Q-455 — With regard to the public service pension plan: (a) what is the total value of the payments made to deceased pensioners, broken down by year since 2016; (b) of the payments in (a), what is the value of the amounts recovered to date from the estates of the deceased; (c) what is the percentage and value of the amounts not yet recovered in (a) which are expected to be (i) recovered, (ii) written-off; and (d) what are the details of the government's process for recovering pension plan payments made to deceased individuals?
• Q-490 — With regard to the departmental acquisition cards and expenditures made in March 2022: (a) what is the total sum of all purchases made; (b) what departmental expenses were made, broken down by accounting code; and (c) what is the number of purchases made specifically between March 22 and March 31, 2022?
• Q-539 — With regard to the contract initially awarded by Shared Services Canada to BMC Software Incorporated (BMC) worth approximately $32.4 million for IT service management: (a) why did the contract increase in value to over $50 million in February 2020; (b) which departments and agencies have migrated all of their IT service management to the BMC software; (c) of the departments that have not yet migrated their IT service management to the BMC software, what percentage of migration has been completed and what is the projected date as to when the migration will be complete; (d) what is the government's estimated total cost to complete the migration; and (e) will it be mandatory for departments and agencies to use the BMC software, and, if not, what alternatives will be made available?
• Q-1131 — With regard to the Canada Revenue Agency and linkage studies that link citizens who complete the census with tax data: what are the details of all such studies which have taken place since January 1, 2018, including, for each, (i) the date, (ii) the methodology, (iii) the scope, including the number of individuals whose data was linked, (iv) the topics studied, (v) the findings, (vi) who conducted the study?

Private Member's Business

This member does not have any active Private Member's bills or motions this session of interest or pertaining to SSC.

Michael Kram – CPC

Constituency: Regina—Wascana

Province: Saskatchewan‌

Professional Background: Information technology consulting firm and the Department of National Defence‌

Education: Bachelor of Science Degree majoring in Computer Science and a Bachelor of Arts Degree majoring in Economics from the University of Regina. Also studied Economics at Carleton University.‌

Date of Birth: 1978‌

Official Biography‌

Michael Kram is the Conservative Member of Parliament for Regina-Wascana, a position which he has held since the general election of October 21, 2019. Mr. Kram sits on the House of Commons Transport, Infrastructure and Communities Committee.‌

Mr. Kram was born and raised in Regina, Saskatchewan. His parents are both retired teachers and his grandparents were farmers. He graduated from Dr. Martin LeBoldus High School in Regina.‌

Mr. Kram has a Bachelor of Science Degree majoring in Computer Science and a Bachelor of Arts Degree majoring in Economics. Both degrees are from the University of Regina. He also studied Economics at Carleton University in Ottawa.‌

Before being elected to Parliament, Mr. Kram worked in the information technology sector. He worked in the private sector in Calgary in the late 1990s and for the Department of National Defence in Ottawa in the early 2000s. Mr. Kram worked for many years as a programmer/analyst with a Regina-based information technology consulting firm. During this time, he developed software solutions for a mix of private- sector and government entities.‌

Mr. Kram grew up and still resides in south Regina. He has been an active member of St. Martin de Porres Church in Whitmore Park for many years. In his spare time, he enjoys jogging, movies, and watching football.‌

Parliamentary Roles

44th Parliament, 1st Session

• Member – Public Accounts
• Vice-Chair – Industry and Technology

43rd Parliament, 2nd Session

• Member – Transport, Infrastructure and Communities

43rd Parliament, 1st Session

• Member – International Trade

Issues of Importance to the Member‌

Cost of Living / Taxation / Technology – Has often used opportunities at Question Period and through Order Paper Questions to ask about the high taxes, inflation policies and cost of living that is rising. Possess an extensive professional background in information technology in the private and public sectors.‌

Issues Raised in Relation to the PACP study‌

N/A‌

Oral Questions (44th Parliament, 1st Session)

2022-12-02

Madam Speaker, when the Liberal government was first elected, the Prime Minister declared, “Canada is back.” Unfortunately, it did not say what it was bringing back, namely deficit spending, inflation, economic slowdown and government boondoggles, such as the $54 million arrive scam app, a $237-million patronage contract for ventilators and the half-billion dollar WE scandal.

When will the government stop its inflationary spending and start putting the economy back on the road to recovery?

2022-11-18

Madam Speaker, according to Regina Food Bank CEO, John Bailey, food bank use in Saskatchewan is up 37% this year. More fully employed working families are turning to food banks just to make ends meet, and with winter on the way and home heating costs set to rise, the problem will only get worse.

Will the Liberals end their inflationary spending and cancel their plan to triple taxes on groceries, gas and home heating?

2022-09-29

Mr. Speaker, according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, a majority of Canadians pay more in carbon taxes than they get back from this government. That means the rising cost of groceries, home heating and filling the car up with gas will only get worse as this government proceeds to triple the carbon tax.

Will the Liberal government back down from its harmful plan to triple the carbon tax?

2022-06-10

Mr. Speaker, Saskatchewan is the breadbasket of the world and leads the country in the production of wheat, canola and many other crops. That takes fertilizer, lots of fertilizer. Recently, the government announced its plan to make Canadian farmers ration fertilizer by 30%, causing the price of groceries to skyrocket and leaving many Canadians going hungry.

Why is this government punishing Canadians who simply want to eat?

2022-06-03

Madam Speaker, Regina city council has identified the construction of a new aquatic centre as a top priority in its recreational master plan. Fortunately, enough money has already been allocated to the city through the investing in Canada infrastructure program. Unfortunately, much of that money is going unspent because it is locked into mothballed public transit projects.

Will the government be reasonable and flexible and approve the request to reallocate these funds?

2022-04-25

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government has tried to deny that it is planning to impose a tax on home equity, but the Canadian Taxpayers Federation has obtained documents proving that the government recently provided an additional $200,000 in research funding to Generation Squeeze, the aptly named group trying to squeeze Canadians out of their hard-earned home equity.

Will the minister stop hiding, come clean and admit that they are trying to make a tax grab out of Canadians' hard-earned home equity?

2022-03-25

Madam Speaker, Saskatchewan is the breadbasket of the world and leads the country in the production of wheat, canola and many other crops. That takes fertilizer, lots of fertilizer.

According to Fertilizer Canada, the government's announcement to ration fertilizer by 30% will cost Canadian farmers $40 billion in lost income. Why did the government refuse to consult with Saskatchewan before announcing its plan to ration fertilizer?

2022-02-04

Mr. Speaker, AGT Foods, Federated Co-operatives, Viterra and Cargill have all announced the construction of new canola crushing plants in Regina and the surrounding area, which will create 400 full-time jobs. However, growing canola requires fertilizer, lots of fertilizer. The government has announced it will be making farmers ration fertilizer by 30%.

Why is the government putting Regina's new canola crushing plants in jeopardy?

Written Questions (44th Parliament – 1st Session)

• Q-88 — November 25, 2021 — Mr. Kram (Regina—Wascana) — With regard to the “A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy" plan from Environment and Climate Change Canada, specifically where it states that “the government will also set a national emission reduction target of 30% below 2020 levels from fertilizers”: how was the 30% target decided upon, and when did the department make its final decision?
• Q-89 — November 25, 2021 — Mr. Kram (Regina—Wascana) — With regard to the “A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy” plan from Environment and Climate Change Canada, specifically where it states that “the government will also set a national emission reduction target of 30% below 2020 levels from fertilizers”: has any government department, agency, Crown corporation or government entity conducted a study on how this policy will affect either (i) Canada’s agricultural production, (ii) the food supply in Canada, (iii) Canada’s contribution to the global food supply via exports, and, if so, what were the findings of the studies?
• Q-90 — November 25, 2021 — Mr. Kram (Regina—Wascana) — With regard to the “A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy” plan from Environment and Climate Change Canada, specifically where it states that “the government will also set a national emission reduction target of 30% below 2020 levels from fertilizers”: has any government department, agency, Crown corporation or government entity conducted a study on how this policy will affect the Saskatchewan economy regarding (i) reduced crop yields, (ii) fewer jobs in agriculture, including agri-retail, canola crushing plants, farms, and, if so, what were the findings of the studies?
• Q-493 — April 21, 2022 — Mr. Kram (Regina—Wascana) — With regard to the government providing NDP members with special briefings in the days prior to April 7, 2022, about the content of the 2022 budget: (a) on what dates did these briefings occur; (b) which NDP members were invited to the briefings; (c) were any NDP staff allowed to attend these briefings, and, if so, which ones; (d) who from the government, including both elected and departmental officials, provided the briefings to the NDP members; (e) what precise information was provided in the briefings; (f) is it the position of the Department of Finance that none of the information contained in the briefings could have had any market implications, and, if so, who determined that position; and (g) if there was any possible market impacting information contained in the briefings, what written assurances, if any, did the government require to ensure that profits could not be made as a result of the advance information provided?
• Q-494 — April 21, 2022 — Mr. Kram (Regina—Wascana) — With regard to reports of "March madness expenditures" where the government makes purchases before the end of the fiscal year so that departmental funds do not go unspent, broken down by department, agency or other government entity: (a) what were the total expenditures during February and March of 2022 on (i) materials and supplies (standard object 07), (ii) acquisition of machinery and equipment, including parts and consumable tools (standard object 09); and (b) what are the details of each such expenditure, including the (i) vendor, (ii) amount, (iii) date of the expenditure, (iv) description of the goods or services provided, (v) delivery date, (vi) file number?
• Q-523 — April 28, 2022 — Mr. Kram (Regina—Wascana) — With regard to the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program, of the $1.5 billion in funding to be delivered, since the program’s announcement on April 14, 2021: (a) what are the details of the projects approved to date, including the (i) name of each project approved, (ii) dollar amount of funds distributed to each project, (iii) name of each recipient of funding, (iv) location of each project by city, town or village, (v) province or territory; (b) what are the criteria and metrics used to determine which projects are eligible for funding; and (c) what are the criteria and metrics used to determine which projects receive funds, if different from (b)?
• Q-618 — June 9, 2022 — Mr. Kram (Regina—Wascana) — With regard to the public order emergency declared in February 2022: (a) did any minister, including the Prime Minister, minister’s exempt staff, including Prime Minister’s Office's employees, or departmental official, brief, prior to 4:30 pm on February 14, 2022, any New Democratic Party member of Parliament, or any of their staff, about plans to declare the emergency; and (b) if the answer to (a) is affirmative, (i) what are the details of that briefing or briefings, (ii) was any representation made at a briefing that in declaring an emergency, the government would be acting on the advice of law enforcement, and, if so, what are the details of that representation?
• Q-953 — October 27, 2022 — Mr. Kram (Regina—Wascana) — With regard to Proactive Disclosure and glitches in the travel expenses section of the Open Government website: (a) as of October 27, 2022, why do the expenses of other people with the same last name as the Prime Minister appear when a user enters the Prime Minister’s last name in the search bar, and none of the Prime Minister’s travel expenses appear; (b) have the Prime Minister’s travel expenses been removed from the site, and, if so, why; and (c) if the Prime Minister’s travel expenses are still listed on the site, what is the link to his expenses that functions correctly?
• Q-973 — November 14, 2022 — Mr. Kram (Regina—Wascana) — With regard to the RCMP’s delay in provision of pay stubs or tax notices: (a) why did the RCMP or the government not provide pay stubs or tax notices to members of the RCMP from the suspension of delivery of pay stubs or tax notices by epost to the delivery of pay stubs or tax notices by Gilmore Docuscan; (b) how long was or will be the time period between the end of delivery of pay stubs or tax notices by epost and delivery of pay stubs or tax notices by Gilmore Docuscan; (c) how many members of the RCMP did not or will not receive their pay stubs or tax notices during this period; (d) what are the details of discussions or meetings about this delay, including (i) violation of employment standards legislation, (ii) condition of employment, (iii) tax implications for members; (e) what departments, agencies, offices and individuals were involved in this issue; and (f) what supporting documents exist regarding this issue, including, but not limited to emails, texts, briefing notes, memos and reports, and what are the details of such documents?
• Q-1035 — November 28, 2022 — Mr. Kram (Regina—Wascana) — With regard to the $1.5 billion funding announcement on April 14, 2021, under the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program: what are the details of the projects approved to date, broken down by project, including the (i) name, (ii) dollar amount of funds distributed, (iii) name of each recipient of the funding, (iv) location by city and province or territory?
• Q-1076 — December 5, 2022 — Mr. Kram (Regina—Wascana) — With regard to box 9954 “Proceeds of disposition” on the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) form T2091IND Designation of a Property as a Principal Residence by an Individual (Other Than a Personal Trust): (a) why does the CRA or the government need to know the sale price of the person's primary residence; and (b) what is this information used for?

Private Members Business

This member does not have any active Private Members bills or motions this session of interest or pertaining to SSC.

Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné – Bloc Québécois

Constituency: Terrebonne‌

Province: Quebec‌

Professional Background: Economist Education: McGill University and Oxford University Date of Birth: 1988‌

Official Biography‌

Elected MP for Terrebonne in 2021, Nathalie Sinclair Desgagné is a seasoned economist with an international background. She is‌

the Bloc Québécois spokesperson for Public Accounts, Pandemic Programs, as well as the Economic Development Agency for the Regions (DEC).‌

Having worked at the European Investment Bank and PWC London, she decided to return home to Quebec in 2017 to pursue her career in the Quebec business world. A graduate of McGill and then Oxford Universities, she continues her academic commitment by contributing to several books and giving master's courses at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris. She specializes in economic development, combined with the environment.‌

Parliamentary Roles

44th Parliament, 1st Session

• Vice-Chair – Public Accounts

Issues of Importance to the Member

Economic Development – Has extensive professional experience in the area of international economics and economic development.

Issues Raised in Relation to the PACP study

N/A

Oral Questions (44th Parliament, 1st Session):

N/A

Written Questions (44th Parliament – 1st Session)

N/A

Private Members Business

This member does not have any active Private Members bills or motions this session of interest or pertaining to SSC.

Peter Fragiskatos – LPC

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue

Constituency: London North Centre‌

Province: Ontario‌

Professional Background: Political scientist and media commentator‌

Education: Political Science degree from Western University, a Master's degree in International Relations from Queen's University, and a PhD in International Relations from Cambridge University‌

Date of Birth: 1981‌

Official Biography‌

Peter Fragiskatos was first elected as the Member of Parliament for London North Centre in 2015.‌

In this role, Mr. Fragiskatos previously served as a member of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, the Standing Committee on Finance, and the Special Committee on Canada-China Relations. He was also a member of various other committees, parliamentary associations, and interparliamentary groups.‌

In December 2021, Mr. Fragiskatos was appointed by the Prime Minister to serve as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue.‌

Prior to entering federal politics, Mr. Fragiskatos was a political scientist at King's University College at Western University and a media commentator. His works have been published by major Canadian and international news organizations, including Maclean's, The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, BBC News, and CNN.‌

Born in London, Ontario, Mr. Fragiskatos has combined his passion for politics with a desire to give back to his community. He has served on the boards of Anago (Non) Residential Resources Inc. and the Heritage London Foundation. An active volunteer, he ran a youth mentorship program and has worked with many local not-for-profit groups, such as the London Food Bank, the London Cross-Cultural Learner Centre, and Literacy London, a charity dedicated to helping adults improve their reading and writing skills.‌

Mr. Fragiskatos holds a Political Science degree from Western University, a master’s degree in International Relations from Queen’s University, and a PhD in International Relations from Cambridge University.

He lives in the riding of London North Centre with his wife, Katy, and his daughter, Ava.

Parliamentary Roles

44th Parliament, 1st Session

• Member – Canada-China Relations
• Member – Public Accounts

43rd Parliament, 2nd Session

• Member – National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians Member – Canada-China Relations
• Member – Finance

43rd Parliament, 1st Session

• Member – Finance
• Member – Canada-China Relations

42nd Parliament, 1st Session

• Member – Finance
• Member – Subcommittee on International Human Rights of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development
• Member – Public Safety and National Security
• Member – Foreign Affairs and International Development

Issues of Importance to the Member

Foreign Affairs – Is an expert in the field of international relations and has published articles in international relations prior to become a member of parliament.

Issues Raised in Relation to the PACP study

SECU – October 24, 2017

Mr. Fragiskatos:

You said elsewhere in a CBC interview.... In fact, this came a number of months ago when the government was first proposing this sort of legislation. You said:

“There’s been a lot of concern over the years in Canada and elsewhere about data breaches where various malicious actors, you know, criminal groups, hackers, foreign governments are going after information held by the Canadian government and this big data base will be an attractive target. So, it will have to be properly locked down.”

You touched on this in your presentation. I wonder if you could expand on advice on how we could properly lock down that information so it's not susceptible to hackers.

Mr. Wesley Wark (Professor, University of Ottawa):

On that, I would say two things, sir.

One is that the Canadian federal government is in a good position in terms of data security protection, in the sense that it is able to call in the services of the Communications Security Establishment, which is well regarded as a cybersecurity organization.

The question then becomes the fit between what are going to be called the CSE's defensive cyber-operations and the CBSA's capability to lock down its data. We have that advantage. In part this is why I would encourage the committee to, at some point, take a close look at CBSA. If you look back at previous reports of Auditors General over a number of years, you'll see that CBSA has struggled with its electronic data and data systems, both at the border and at headquarters. It's not clear to me whether they've overcome those struggles or whether those struggles are going to become only worse as they're flooded with this kind of information.

I don't have an expert view at all on how well they're going to be able to manage that data flow. It's been tested to some degree, but not fully. I think it's certainly something that needs to have a watch kept on it. That's partly why, in addition to encouraging the committee to look specifically at CBSA, which is probably the fastest-growing, most expansive security and intelligence agency in the Canadian government, I would also encourage thinking around Bill C-21 that would require annual reporting on the impacts of the bill.

Oral Questions (44th Parliament, 1st Session):

2022-04-06

Mr. Speaker, the unspeakable and senseless acts of violence perpetrated by the Putin regime, including those recently uncovered in Bucha, demand accountability. This is why the RCMP will be deploying a specialized unit of investigators to the International Criminal Court in the Hague.

Would the Prime Minister please elaborate on the RCMP's intentions to assist the investigation of war crimes committed in Ukraine?

Written Questions (44th Parliament – 1st Session)

N/A

Private Members Business

This member does not have any active Private Members bills or motions this session of interest or pertaining to SSC.

Valerie Bradford – LPC

Constituency: Kitchener South—Hespeler

Province: Ontario‌

Professional Background: Economic Development Professional for the City of Kitchener‌

Education: No information could be located‌

Date of Birth: 1952‌

Official Biography‌

Valerie Bradford has spent the last 15 years supporting small businesses and bringing jobs and investments to Waterloo Region as an economic development professional for the City of Kitchener. She is the former Chair of the Workforce Planning Board, serving in that role for eight years. With extensive knowledge of the local economy and experience with workforce development, Ms. Bradford is well-equipped to help the region recover from the hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Raising her three children as a single mom, Ms. Bradford understands the challenges that families face, as they juggle responsibilities at home, finances, and careers. Ms. Bradford is passionate about universally affordable and accessible childcare, which will allow parents, particularly women, to fully participate in the workforce. Making ends meet was never easy, but growing up on a dairy farm near Dunnville, Ontario, she learned the value of hard work and responsibility at a young age.‌

Waterloo Region is a great place to live, work, and raise a family – we need to continue to make it better and accessible for all residents. Ms. Bradford's goal is to ensure that Canadians everywhere have access to safe and affordable housing that meets their needs.‌

Since moving to the region 17 years ago, Ms. Bradford has been a volunteer with multiple local organizations. She is dedicated to public service and is committed to being a strong voice for residents of Kitchener South-Hespeler as their Member of Parliament.‌

Parliamentary Roles

44th Parliament, 1st Session

• Member – Public Accounts
• Member – Science and Research

Issues of Importance to the Member

Small Businesses / Economic Prosperity – Has previous work experience in workforce planning and economic development.

Issues Raised in Relation to the PACP study

N/A

Oral Questions (44th Parliament, 1st Session)

2022-10-20

Mr. Speaker, last week, I announced a $1.4 million investment in Racer Machinery International. This investment by our government will create and maintain 31 jobs in the Kitchener area.

Could the Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario update the House on how our government has supported businesses such as Racer?

2022-06-07

Mr. Speaker, on April 7, our government put forward its plan to make life more affordable for Canadians through the 2022 budget. A top area of concern in my riding of Kitchener South—Hespeler is the issue of housing affordability. We know that Canadians deserve a safe place to call home and that it should be affordable.

Can the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance tell us what the government is doing to make the dream of owning a home a reality for more Canadians?

2022-06-02

Mr. Speaker, in my riding of Kitchener South—Hespeler, I have seen our main street businesses find new ways to stay open and battle throughout the pandemic. Our government has been there for small businesses.

Can the Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario inform the House about what our government is doing for main street businesses across Southern Ontario?

2022-04-26

Mr. Speaker, we know how important childcare is for families in our economic recovery, but we know how expensive it has been for families. Parents in Ontario have been paying some of the highest fees in the country. We also know that we need to grow the number of spaces available, so that all families can benefit.

Could the minister please update the House on the government's progress toward building a Canada-wide early learning and childcare system and what it will mean for Ontario's families?

2022-03-01

Mr. Speaker, many Canadians are struggling to find affordable housing, including those in my riding of Kitchener South—Hespeler. The need for affordable housing has been highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last week, I had the honour of speaking at a virtual open house for one of our government's rapid housing initiative programs in my riding of Kitchener South— Hespeler. Could the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion please tell the House how our government is building more affordable housing in Kitchener South—Hespeler and across Canada?

Written Questions (44th Parliament – 1st Session)

N/A

Private Members Business

This member does not have any active Private Members bills or motions this session of interest or pertaining to SSC.