{"time": "2024-06-05 18:40:00", "attribution": {"en": "Mr. Gianluca Cairo (Former Chief of Staff, Department of Industry, As an Individual)", "fr": "M. Gianluca Cairo (ancien chef de Cabinet, minist\u00e8re de l'Industrie, \u00e0 titre personnel)"}, "content": {"en": "

Good evening, Mr. Chair and members of the committee.

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My name is Gianluca Cairo, and I want to thank you for the opportunity to appear before you in relation to your study on Sustainable Development Technology Canada.

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My role, as it relates to your study into SDTC, was as chief of staff to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development from the summer of 2017 to the summer of 2019. Former minister Bains was the minister of ISED at that time, and SDTC was part of that portfolio.

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During my time in that position, there was an appointment process for the board chair of SDTC. It was run as part of a merits-based approach to appointments that was a joint effort between the Privy Council Office, the Prime Minister's Office and officials at ISED. As I understand it, this was a normal public process that was followed across all Governor in Council appointments at the time.

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Ultimately, at the conclusion of that process, Annette Verschuren was appointed board chair of SDTC. Ms. Verschuren had previously been appointed to critical roles at the intersection of business and public policy by Prime Ministers Mulroney, Harper and Trudeau. As an officer of the Order of Canada and given her significant business experience generally, as well as in the clean-tech sector specifically, she was well suited for the position.

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The appointment was made in June 2019, and I left my role as chief of staff a few weeks later, in August.

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I respect the work of the committee and of parliamentarians. I know the work that is involved, and I appreciate what you do.

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Before I turn to your questions, I want to address the fact that there was a motion passed to summons me to attend today. I was disappointed and surprised to learn that I had been summoned. I had corresponded with the clerk repeatedly, and the clerk was aware that I was in Australia on business when I was initially invited to attend. Upon my return, I reached out again, specifically to confirm my attendance, which is when the clerk informed me that I had already been the subject of a summons.

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I am here voluntarily and co-operatively to help you complete your study. Although my role was limited in terms of the time and the scope of my involvement, I hope I can be of assistance to you and I look forward to your questions.

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Merci.

", "fr": "

Bonsoir, monsieur le pr\u00e9sident, et bonsoir aux membres du Comit\u00e9.

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Je m'appelle Gianluca Cairo, et je tiens \u00e0 vous remercier de m'avoir invit\u00e9 \u00e0 t\u00e9moigner devant vous concernant Technologies du d\u00e9veloppement durable Canada.

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En ce qui a trait \u00e0 votre \u00e9tude sur TDDC, j'ai \u00e9t\u00e9 chef de cabinet du ministre de l'Innovation, des Sciences et du D\u00e9veloppement \u00e9conomique de l'\u00e9t\u00e9 2017 \u00e0 l'\u00e9t\u00e9 2019. L'ancien ministre Bains \u00e9tait ministre d'ISDE \u00e0 l'\u00e9poque, et TDDC faisait partie de son portefeuille.

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Durant mon mandat, on a lanc\u00e9 un processus de nomination pour la pr\u00e9sidence du conseil d'administration de TDDC. Ce processus suivait l'approche fond\u00e9e sur le m\u00e9rite pour les nominations, dans un effort conjoint du Bureau du Conseil priv\u00e9, du Cabinet du premier ministre et d'ISDE. D'apr\u00e8s ce que je comprends, c'\u00e9tait le processus public normal pour toutes les nominations du gouverneur en conseil \u00e0 l'\u00e9poque.

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En fin de compte, \u00e0 l'issue de ce processus, Annette Verschuren a obtenu le poste de pr\u00e9sidente du conseil d'administration de TDDC. Mme Verschuren avait auparavant \u00e9t\u00e9 nomm\u00e9e \u00e0 des postes sup\u00e9rieurs en mati\u00e8re d'affaires et de politiques publiques par les premiers ministres Mulroney, Harper et Trudeau. En tant qu'officier de l'Ordre du Canada et compte tenu de sa vaste exp\u00e9rience dans le milieu des affaires en g\u00e9n\u00e9ral et dans le secteur des technologies propres en particulier, elle \u00e9tait bien qualifi\u00e9e pour occuper ce poste.

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On a proc\u00e9d\u00e9 \u00e0 la nomination en juin 2019, et j'ai quitt\u00e9 mon poste de chef de cabinet quelques semaines plus tard, en ao\u00fbt.

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Je respecte le travail de votre comit\u00e9 et des parlementaires. Je comprends que c'est beaucoup de travail, et je vous en suis reconnaissant.

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Avant de r\u00e9pondre \u00e0 vos questions, je tiens \u00e0 parler de la motion adopt\u00e9e pour m'assigner \u00e0 compara\u00eetre aujourd'hui. J'ai \u00e9t\u00e9 d\u00e9\u00e7u et surpris d'apprendre qu'on me for\u00e7ait \u00e0 compara\u00eetre. J'avais correspondu avec la greffi\u00e8re \u00e0 r\u00e9p\u00e9tition, et elle savait que j'\u00e9tais en Australie pour affaires quand on m'a invit\u00e9 \u00e0 t\u00e9moigner au d\u00e9part. \u00c0 mon retour, j'ai communiqu\u00e9 de nouveau avec elle pour confirmer ma pr\u00e9sence, et elle m'a dit que je faisais d\u00e9j\u00e0 l'objet d'une assignation \u00e0 compara\u00eetre.

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Je suis venu ici volontairement et dans un esprit de collaboration pour vous aider \u00e0 terminer votre \u00e9tude. M\u00eame si mon r\u00f4le \u00e9tait limit\u00e9 en raison du temps que j'y ai consacr\u00e9 et de la port\u00e9e de ma participation, j'esp\u00e8re pouvoir vous aider. Je r\u00e9pondrai avec plaisir \u00e0 vos questions.

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Merci.

"}, "url": "/committees/industry/44-1/128/gianluca-cairo-1/", "politician_url": null, "politician_membership_url": null, "procedural": false, "source_id": "12798227", "document_url": "/committees/industry/44-1/128/", "related": {"document_speeches_url": "/speeches/?document=%2Fcommittees%2Findustry%2F44-1%2F128%2F"}}