Hon. Julie Miville-Dechêne: Minister, starting on January 1, 2024, federal institutions and departments like yours will be subject to the new Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act, formerly known as Bill S-211. I was the sponsor of this bill, along with your colleague, MP John McKay. The new act requires the government to report on risks of modern slavery regarding the goods it purchases and on the measures it is taking to mitigate those risks.

My question is quite simple: Are you ready?

Hon. Julie Miville-Dechêne: Hello and thank you for being here with us, minister.

Government procurement has reached nearly $22 billion a year. That is a lot of money. Some companies that are making efforts to incorporate recycled items and, more generally, to accelerate the transition to a circular economy are complaining that your procurement process doesn’t include incentives for this.

I know that the government has a policy on green procurement, but I gather that these criteria are not always enforced. Is that right? Is it just one criterion among hundreds of others, or is it a priority?

Senator Miville-Dechêne: I understand what you’re saying, but there is a policy. A future government could repeal or modify that environmental policy.

My question is, do you think these criteria on the environment and the circular economy should be enshrined in the Financial Administration Act to make them a priority — a real priority — and a requirement in government procurement?

As you pointed out, this way of dealing with procurement processes is based on regulations or policies. In both cases, it’s easy to make changes. It is easy for future governments to change policies. If we want to ensure that the way we’re currently addressing Canadians’ environmental concerns will continue in the future, it might be worth considering other ways of doing things.

Senator Miville-Dechêne: You have not been the procurement minister for very long. Based on what you have seen, are our supply chains contaminated? Are you aware of any products made by forced child labour that Canada has procured around the world?

What I know right now is that we have not received — or at least I have not received — useful or clear information on the fact that some of our procurement processes have led to or supported child labour or labour done in unacceptable conditions here at home or elsewhere in the world.

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