PACP Committee Meeting

The Standing Committee on Public Accounts met at 3:31 p.m. this day, in Room 269, West Block, the Chair, the Hon. Shawn Murphy, presiding.

The Chair proceeded to give a ruling on the motion of Mr. Wrzesnewskyj moved on December 12, 2006:

In 2006 both Auditor General reports have been leaked prior to public release. This is both unprecedented and undermines the integrity of parliament’s ability to hold government to account.

Section 4 (1) (a) of the Security of Information Act deals with Miscellaneous Offences; specifically with Wrongful communication of information. The Act states that:

Every person is guilty of an offence under this Act who:

(a) communicates the code word, password, sketch, plan, model, article, note, document or information to any person, other than a person to whom he is authorized to communicate with, or a person to whom it is in the interest of the State his duty to communicate it;

Given the serious breaches that have occurred with both the Reports of the Auditor General of Canada to the House of Commons 2006 and due to the serious implications of these leaks I move that the Public Accounts Committee ask for an investigation into the leaks of both of the Auditor General’s most recent reports, May and November 2006 by the RCMP.

The motion was declared irrecevable.

Jean-Yves Laforest moved, — In light of the testimony the Committee heard on December 12, 2006, and January 29, 2007, including that of Raymond Bélair, Vice-President and General Manager of Royal Lepage Relocation Services, and Graham Badun, President of Royal LePage, and in order to explain to us the role she played as a lobbyist for Royal LePage Relocation Services, and thereby to explain the issue of registering in the Lobbyists Registry, it is proposed that:

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(1), the Public Accounts Committee call Sandra Buckler to appear as a witness as soon as possible .

After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was negatived, by a show of hands: YEAS: 2; NAYS: 9.

Borys Wrzesnewskyj moved, — In order to ensure that the Public Accounts Committee has complete documentation to prepare for the upcoming meetings on Chapter 9 of the Auditor General’s Report of November 2006 – Pension and Insurance Administration – Royal Canadian Mounted Police, I move that the following documents be presented to the Committee for their review:

• The Internal Audit of the RCMP 2003 concerning irregularities with the RCMP pension fund;

• Commissioner Zaccardelli’s complete file on the initial criminal investigation into the pension fund irregularities of May 28, 2003 and the accompanying documentation which justified the termination of said investigation;

• The report of the Ottawa Police Services (OPS) 2005 regarding the second criminal investigation into pension and life insurance irregularities as well as the conclusions, the reasons for shutting down the second criminal investigation, why further actions were not taken; and

• Any documentation pertaining to why, disciplinary action against nine regular and civilian members identified in the OPS report and further warranted by a disciplinary investigation of the RCMP, was eventually not pursued sighting that too much time had elapsed .

Debate arose thereon.

John Williams moved, — That the motion be amended by deleting the last three paragraphs and replacing them with the following: “That the acting RCMP Commissioner and the Chief of Ottawa Police be invited to appear before this Committee to provide information on why further actions were not taken and why no disciplinary action was not pursued”.

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of John Williams and it was agreed to.

After debate, the question was put on the motion, as amended, and it was agreed to.

It was agreed, — That the Eight Report of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee of Public Accounts be adopted, and it reads as follows :

Your Subcommittee met on Monday, February 5, 2007, to consider the business of the Committee and agreed to make the following recommendations:

1. That, the proposed schedule for the months of February and March 2007 be the working schedule for the Committee.

2. That, Mr. André Gladu, former Deputy Minister of Economic Development Agency for the Regions of Quebec be invited to appear before the Committee to answer some concerns that the Committee has on the subject of Place Victoria in Montreal and that a letter containing a list of the Committee's concerns be addressed to Mr. Gladu for a written answer .

Sheila Fraser and Alister Smith made opening statements and, with Daphne Meredith and Brian Aiken, answered questions.

Sheila Fraser made an opening statement and, with John Wiersema, answered questions.

Mr. Wrzesnewskyj tabled the following documents:

- Copy of a letter addressed to Mr. Zaccardeli, RCMP Commissioner, dated May 23, 2006;

- Copy of the reply of Mr. Zaccardeli to that letter, dated June 9, 2006.

At 6:26 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.