Arianne Reza made a statement and, with the other witnesses, answered questions.

At 5:40 p.m., pursuant to Standing Order 115(5), it was agreed that the committee continue to sit.

At 5:59 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 6:29 p.m., the sitting resumed.

Questioning of the witnesses resumed.

It was agreed, — That the proposed budget in the amount of $24,750, for the study of the federal regulatory modernization initiatives, be adopted.

It was agreed, — That the proposed budget in the amount of $24,750, for the study of the postal service in Canada’s rural and remote communities, be adopted.

Rick Perkins moved, —

That with regard to any contract signed by any minister, department, agency or Crown corporation of the Government of Canada, in relation to:

(i) Stellantis N.V., LG Energy Solutions, Ltd., NextStar Energy Inc. or Volta Energy Solutions Canada Inc., related to the construction of an electric vehicle battery facility in Windsor, Ontario;

(ii) the Volkswagen Group, Volkswagen AG, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. or PowerCo SE, related to the construction of an electric vehicle battery facility in St. Thomas, Ontario;

(iii) Northvolt AB, Northvolt North America, Northvolt Batteries North America Inc. or Cubery, Inc., related to the construction of an electric vehicle battery facility in Saint-Basile-le-Grand, Quebec;

(iv) Honda Canada Inc, related to the construction of an electric vehicle assembly plant and stand-alone EV battery plant in Alliston, Ont;

(v) Ford Motor Company, Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited, EcoProBM Co., Ltd., EcoPro Innovation Co., Ltd., EcoPro Global, EcoPro Co., Ltd., ECOPRO, Eco CAM Canada Inc., EcoPro CAM Canada General Partner Inc., SK On Co., SK ie technology Co., Ltd., SK Inc., SK Innovation Co., Ltd., SK Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd., Sunlake Co., Ltd. or EcoPro CAM Canada, LP, related to the construction of an electric vehicle battery materials production plant in Bécancour, Quebec; and

(vi) Umicore Rechargeable Battery Materials Canada Inc., Umicore SA/NV or Umicore Canada Inc., related to the construction of an electric vehicle battery materials

the committee order the production of; any and all contract clauses that detail job commitments, including;

(a.1) any and all prohibitions or limits on the use of temporary foreign workers;

(a.2) any and all requirements that require Canadian citizens or permanent residents be employed;

(a.3) any and all references to direct, in-direct, and induced job-commitments; and

(a.4) any and all penalties outlined for failing to meet any contractual obligation;

and that the copies be provided to the clerk of the committee within seven days following the adoption of this motion, in both official languages without redaction, and thereupon be deemed permanently referred to this committee, and that following the completion of the document production order, the committee invite the following witnesses to immediately appear before the committee at a date determine by the Chair;

(b.1) François Phillipe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science, and Industry;

(b.2) Sean Strickland, Executive Director of the Canada Building Trades Unions;

(b.3) Dannies Lee, CEO of NextStar Energy, and Jason Stoicevich, Stellantis North America;

(b.4) Jean-Marc Leclerc, President and CEO of Honda Canada Inc.;

(b.5) Vito Paladino, President and CEO of Volkswagen Group Canada; and

Debate arose thereon.

At 7:08 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 11:03 a.m., on Monday, May 6, 2024, the sitting resumed.

The debate continued

Taylor Bachrach moved, — That the debate be now adjourned.

The question was put on the motion and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Jenica Atwin, Taylor Bachrach, Francis Drouin, Majid Jowhari, Irek Kusmierczyk, Charles Sousa, Julie Vignola — 7;

NAYS: Kelly Block, Garnett Genuis, Stephanie Kusie — 3.

It was agreed, — That, for its meeting of Wednesday, May 29, 2024: (a) the committee hold a four-hour meeting; (b) the committee invite the Minister of Public Services and Procurement, along with his officials, to appear in the first hour of the meeting, regarding the Main Estimates 2024–25; (c) the committee invite the President of the Treasury Board, along with her officials, to appear in the second hour of the meeting, regarding the Main Estimates 2024–25; and (d) the President of Canada Post be invited to appear in the third and fourth hours of the meeting, regarding the study on postal service in Canada’s rural and remote communities.

It was agreed, — That the Public Services and Procurement Canada and Treasury Board Secretariat officials be invited to appear again after Wednesday, May 29, 2024, regarding the study on the Main Estimates 2024–25.

It was agreed, — That, for its meeting on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, the committee proceed to the consideration of the draft report for the study of the changeover of the public service health care plan from Sun Life to Canada Life.

Kelly Block moved, — That, considering that a Global Affairs Canada audit of government contracts revealed a compliance failure rate of 26% and that the report stated that “the signed contract was not provided” and that a contract was approved “by an individual that benefited from the transaction,” the committee invite the Minister of Foreign Affairs to appear for a two-hour meeting, and the Deputy Minister and the officials responsible for the report for a two-hour meeting.

Debate arose thereon.

At 12:59 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 1:00 p.m., the sitting resumed.

The debate continued

Majid Jowhari moved, — That the motion be amended by replacing the words “the Minister of Foreign Affairs to appear for a two-hour meeting, and the Deputy Minister and the officials responsible for the report for a two-hour meeting” with the words “the Deputy Minister and the officials responsible for the report to appear for a two-hour meeting, provided that the committee may invite the Minister of Foreign Affairs to appear if it deems it necessary”.

After debate, the question was put on the motion, as amended, and it was agreed to.

The motion, as amended, read as follows:

That, considering that a Global Affairs Canada audit of government contracts revealed a compliance failure rate of 26% and that the report stated that “the signed contract was not provided” and that a contract was approved “by an individual that benefited from the transaction,” the committee invite the Deputy Minister and the officials responsible for the report to appear for a two-hour meeting, provided that the committee may invite the Minister of Foreign Affairs to appear if it deems it necessary.

Garnett Genuis moved, — That the committee, in relation to the opioid epidemic and toxic drug crisis in Canada,

(a) order the production of all contracts, agreements or memoranda of understanding to which the Government of Canada is a party, signed since January 1, 2016, concerning the purchase, acquisition or transfer of Dilaudid or any generic form of hydromorphone for use in any safe supply program, together with any related documents concerning the amounts, dosage and frequency of delivery of the hydromorphone to be used, provided that these documents shall be deposited with the clerk of the committee, in an unredacted form and in both official languages, within three weeks of the adoption of this order; and

Debate arose thereon.