The committee, studying three reports from the Auditor General of Canada tabled on June 10, 2025, heard from Auditor General Karen Hogan, Deputy Auditor General Andrew Hayes, and Principal Nicholas Swales.
Karen Hogan testified that the F-35 fighter jet project's estimated costs have risen to $27.7 billion, nearly 50% above the original $19 billion estimate, with at least $5.5 billion more needed for infrastructure and advanced weapons not yet included. She noted risks including a shortage of qualified pilots and a three-year delay in building squadron facilities, requiring costly temporary structures, and called for active, proactive risk management and more transparent, regularly updated cost estimates. On federal office space, she said Public Services and Procurement Canada made less than 2% progress toward a 50% reduction target by 2034, mainly due to a lack of funding until 2024, and that the Centre of Expertise for Real Property was dissolved in 2024 with only 21 of its 119 recommendations implemented. She also said the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation is on track to meet a 2027-28 commitment target of 4,000 housing units under the federal lands initiative, but only 49% will be ready for occupancy, and that affordability definitions not linked to household income fail those most in need. On 106 contracts with GC Strategies, she found that 21% lacked documentation of security clearances and that work performed was often not monitored, with time sheets missing in nearly 60% of cases; she made no new recommendations, arguing existing rules must be understood and followed rather than adding more.
Andrew Hayes added that the Office of the Auditor General has broad access to Treasury Board and cabinet documents, not just open-source information, to support its audits.
Nicholas Swales explained that the 246 permanent positions identified for the F-35 program cover only specific areas like mission planning and logistics, not the full workforce needed, and that implementation has been slow because plans were not fully laid out. He noted that the transition is still in its early phases and that National Defence lacks complete plans for many positions.
The committee also debated and approved the release of a single email from the clerk inviting a minister to appear, as requested under an Access to Information Act notice from the Department of National Defence, with no objections. A notice of motion was given by Marie-Hélène Gaudreau to hold a meeting on the renewal of the contract for parliamentary interpreters, but it was not debated.
AI-generated summary — may contain errors; verify against the official evidence.