Donnalyn McClymont made a statement and answered questions.

At 12:22 p.m., the meeting was suspended.

At 12:30 p.m., the meeting resumed.

Rick Perkins moved, — That the committee order the production of the following documents:

(a) the advice letter to the then-Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry regarding the 2019 appointment of the Sustainable Development Technology Canada Chair, as referenced by the witness today;

(b) the minutes of all meetings of the selection committee that considered that appointment; and

(c) all communications between the Privy Council Office and then-Minister Bains, then-Minister Bains’ office, the Prime Minister's Office, and the Department of Industry, respecting the appointment of Ms. Verschuren as Chair of Sustainable Development Technology Canada,

and that these documents be deposited with the clerk of the committee within seven days of the adoption of this motion.

Debate arose thereon.

The question was put on the motion and the result of the vote was announced:

YEAS: Larry Brock, Michael Cooper, Blake Desjarlais, Rick Perkins, Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné — 5;

NAYS: Valerie Bradford, Lisa Hepfner, Iqra Khalid, Patrick Weiler, Jean Yip — 5.

Whereupon, the Chair voted in the affirmative.

Accordingly, the motion was agreed to.

The motion, as amended, reads as follows:

That the committee order the production of the following documents:

(a) the advice letter to the then-Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry regarding the 2019 appointment of the Sustainable Development Technology Canada Chair, as referenced by the witness today;

(b) the minutes of all meetings of the selection committee that considered that appointment; and

(c) all communications between the Privy Council Office and then-Minister Bains, then-Minister Bains’ office, the Prime Minister's Office, and the Department of Industry, respecting the appointment of Ms. Verschuren as Chair of Sustainable Development Technology Canada,

and that these documents be deposited with the clerk of the committee within three weeks of the adoption of this motion

At 1:23 p.m., the meeting was suspended.

At 1:29 p.m., the meeting resumed.

The committee resumed consideration of the motion moved by Rick Perkins on Thursday, June 20, 2024, which read as follows:

Given, the Auditor General's audit of Sustainable Development and Technology Canada, and given that government appointed board members approved:

(a) $59 million towards ten ineligible projects;

(b) 76 million towards ninety projects in which board members had conflicts of interest and violated internal conflict of interest policies, and in violation of the Canada Foundation for Sustainable Development Technology Act;

(c) $259 million towards ninety-six projects where board members held conflicts of interest; and

(d) $58 million towards projects without ensuring contribution agreement term were met;

the committee therefore expresses extreme concern with the blatant disregard of taxpayer funds, and therefore calls on the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Industry, to recoup these funds for Canadians taxpayers within 100 days following the adoption of this motion, and that the committee report this matter to the House.

After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Valerie Bradford, Larry Brock, Michael Cooper, Blake Desjarlais, Lisa Hepfner, Iqra Khalid, Rick Perkins, Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné, Patrick Weiler, Jean Yip — 10;

NAYS: — 0.

The motion, as amended, reads as follows:

Given, the Auditor General's audit of Sustainable Development and Technology Canada, and given that government appointed board members approved:

(a) $59 million towards ten ineligible projects;

(b) 76 million towards ninety projects in which board members had conflicts of interest and violated internal conflict of interest policies, and in violation of the Canada Foundation for Sustainable Development Technology Act;

(c) $259 million towards ninety-six projects where board members held conflicts of interest; and

(d) $58 million towards projects without ensuring contribution agreement term were met;

the committee therefore expresses extreme concern with the blatant disregard of taxpayer funds, and therefore calls on the Government of Canada to recoup these funds for Canadians taxpayers following the adoption of this motion, and that the committee report this matter to the House.

At 2:12 p.m., the meeting was suspended.

At 2:32 p.m., the meeting resumed.

Larry Brock moved, — That, in relation to the press release issued by Minister Champagne on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, announcing resumed funding to Sustainable Development Technology Canada projects under reinforced contribution agreements signed with the Department of Industry, the committee orders the production of all such contribution agreements and that they be deposited with the clerk of the committee within 14 days following the adoption of this motion.

Debate arose thereon.