PACP Committee News Release
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Standing Committee on Public Accounts |
HOUSE OF COMMONS CHAMBRE DES COMMUNES OTTAWA, CANADA K1A 0A6 |
Comité permanent des comptes publics |
For immediate release
NEWS RELEASE
The premature release or "leaking" of reports of the Auditor General to the media before their presentation in the House of Commons
Ottawa, May 15, 2007 -
Mr. Shawn Murphy, MP, and Chair of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Accounts, today tabled the Committee’s 14th Report, which expresses the Committee’s displeasure about recent leaks of the Auditor General’s reports.
In the spring and fall of 2006, confidential details about the findings of draft reports of the Auditor General were leaked to the media prior to their tabling in Parliament. The Committee considers these leaks to be a breach of Parliamentary privilege and takes them very seriously. If the leaks continue, the Committee is committed to taking more significant actions, such as closely questioning all those who saw a draft of the report, or recommending that the Auditor General only confirm facts with departments prior to tabling her report.
In order to strengthen government controls, the Committee recommended that the Treasury Board develop a strong policy regarding security requirements for the handling of Auditor General reports, and that this policy include serious sanctions for those who breach it.
The Committee is pleased to note, however, that no leaks to the media occurred for the Auditor General’s May 2007 Report
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