Question Period Notes
About this information
In accordance with the Access to Information Act, the government proactively publishes the package of question period notes that were prepared by a government institution for the minister and that were in use on the last sitting day in June and December.
The question period notes may be partially or fully redacted in accordance with the legislation; for example, if the notes contain information related to national security or personal information. (Learn more about exemptions and exclusions.)
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The 2022-2023 Supplementary Estimates (B) for Shared Services Canada (SSC) was tabled in the House of Common on November 17, 2022.
There has been recent media attention on federal government spending on outsourcing contracts, noting a 40% increase between fiscal year 2015-16 and 2020-21. This information was sourced from the Public Accounts of Canada, tabled in the House of Commons on December 14, 2021. The Commons Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates (OGGO) is currently carrying out a study on outsourcing of contracts.
The Office of the Auditor General of Canada will be releasing to the Parliament of Canada an Independent Auditor’s Report on November 15, 2022. Shared Services Canada (SSC) is involved in addressing the Chapter on Cybersecurity of Personal Information in the Cloud. The President of the Treasury Board will be leading the Government’s response to the overall report in the House of Commons.
Public Services and Procurement Canada is working with the Public Health Agency of Canada, Health Canada and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, along with the COVID Vaccine Task Force to procure COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutic drugs, and related supplies.
Notes:
- For all therapeutic solutions, questions about allocation and distribution should be directed to Public Health Agency of Canada
- For all therapeutic solutions, questions about regulatory approval should be directed to Health Canada
- All questions on donations should be referred to Global Affairs Canada and Public Health Agency of Canada
Public Services and Procurement Canada is working with Health Canada to support the design of the new Canadian Dental Care Plan.
Note: All questions regarding the collaboration with provincial and territorial partners and the design of the program should be directed to Health Canada
The President of the Treasury Board is expected to table the 2021-22 Public Accounts Report the week of October 24, 2022.
Budget 2019 provided funding for the replacement of the Alexandra Bridge, the rehabilitation and ongoing maintenance of the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge, and the Chaudière Crossing. It also provided direction for refreshing technical studies on a potential 6th interprovincial crossing in the National Capital Region and developing a Long-Term Integrated Interprovincial Crossings Plan.
Since 2017, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) has supported the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to put in place contracts and leases to manage an increase in asylum seekers at the St-Bernard-de-Lacolle border crossing.
Whereas the contracting values are publicly disclosed, the sole source leases values have historically not been subject to the same disclosure requirements.
Nine lease agreements have been concluded with companies owned by Pierre Guay (e.g. for office space, land, and for use of the hotel adjacent to the border crossing). Various requests (media and access to information) were made concerning these lease agreements. Mr. Guay is characterized in a La Presse article as a supporter of the Liberal Party of Canada.
In September 2022, Radio-Canada published a number of stories on the Roxham Road crossing, criticizing the Government for not releasing the lease costs associated with the processing of asylum claims.
Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), on behalf of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), awarded three professional services contracts in support of the ArriveCan application: one to create the application; one to improve its accessibility; and one to maintain and make improvements to it, along with other IM/IT applications. While the two initial contracts were non-competitive, the third contact, which is currently in place to provide maintenance and ongoing support for ArriveCan and other applications, was competitively awarded.
There may be concerns that when large numbers of employees return to the worksite or continue with remote or hybrid work, the underlying information technology infrastructure will not function effectively to support them.