Discussion · Adjournment Proceedings
Gord Johns NDP
“The government did not send the right minister here to answer my questions. They are taking security contracts away from the Commissionaires, which hurts veterans and costs taxpayers more. The government will not meet with the Commissionaires, but they will meet with private security companies. I want to know if the minister has met with GardaWorld since the spring.”
“Mr. Speaker, I have a ton of respect for the parliamentary secretary for environment and climate change, but the bottom line is that this is exactly what we are talking about. They did not send the minister in here for the debate. They did not send the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs. The Commissionnaires have not had any meetings scheduled with the minister or representatives of Veterans Affairs Canada since the spring. I can assure members that the minister or representatives of Veterans Affairs Canada have met with GardaWorld. The government has known about veteran numbers declining for over a decade. The government did not care. They renewed the Commissionaires repeatedly because Commissionaires do a good job guarding our critical public infrastructure. They could have worked with them. Cancelling the right of first refusal does not help veterans. It hurts them. It increases costs to Canadian taxpayers. Who benefits? Have they met with GardaWorld since the spring?”
Mr. Speaker, I have a ton of respect for the parliamentary secretary for environment and climate change, but the bottom line is that this is exactly what we are talking about. They did not send the minister in here for the debate. They did not send the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs. The Commissionnaires have not had any meetings scheduled with the minister or representatives of Veterans Affairs Canada since the spring. I can assure members that the minister or representatives of Veterans Affairs Canada have met with GardaWorld. The government has known about veteran numbers declining for over a decade. The government did not care. They renewed the Commissionaires repeatedly because Commissionaires do a good job guarding our critical public infrastructure. They could have worked with them. Cancelling the right of first refusal does not help veterans. It hurts them. It increases costs to Canadian taxpayers. Who benefits? Have they met with GardaWorld since the spring?