The Senate resolved into a Committee of the Whole in order to study the subject matter of Bill C-39, An Act respecting certain measures to strengthen the economy.

Senator Gerba: Welcome, ministers. My question is much more practical and concerns entrepreneurs from ethnoculturally diverse backgrounds. Assuming that Bill C-39 passes, Minister LeBlanc, what can you tell us about access to government procurement, to public procurement, for ethnoculturally diverse entrepreneurs, specifically Black Canadian-owned businesses, which represent 2.8% of businesses in Canada?

What specific measures will be put in place to enable these companies to access public procurement throughout the process?

Mr. LeBlanc: My colleagues may want to weigh in on that because it’s a great question.

Senator, when you say public procurement, are you talking about government procurement?

Senator Gerba: Yes.

Mr. LeBlanc: As you’re well aware, that is a priority for our government. Our colleague, Minister Lightbound, has pointed out a number of initiatives that specifically recognize the challenge that you’ve identified, and the now unacceptable circumstances surrounding access to federal contracts by groups that historically had difficulty gaining such access. You define the problem quite well.

We make no assumptions that a bill will pass. We don’t come before the Senate or the House of Commons expecting that a bill will pass, so I’m not as enthusiastic as you are. We will let the bill make its way through Parliament.

We’re already studying this matter, and will be pleased to do so with you and to benefit from your advice and ideas. We’re already looking at the procurement side of things to find a way to correct a historical challenge that is no longer acceptable. I will ask our colleague, Minister Lightbound, the person responsible for this — I don’t claim to have a clear view of these issues — to work with you on ensuring that when we’re ready to implement the bill, we will do so in the right way.