PACP Committee Meeting

The Standing Committee on Public Accounts met at 9:02 a.m. this day, in Room 253-D, Centre Block, the Chair, Shawn Murphy, presiding.

The Chair called Vote 15 under FINANCE - AUDITOR GENERAL.

Sheila Fraser made a statement and, with Lyn Sachs, answered questions.

On motion of Andrew Saxton, it was agreed, — That Vote 15 in the amount of $75,103,833.00, less the amount of $18,775,958.25 granted in Interim Supply, carry.

ORDERED, — That the Chair report Vote 15, less the amounts voted in Interim Supply, under FINANCE - AUDITOR GENERAL to the House.

The Chair presented the Sixth Report from the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure which read as follows:

Your Subcommittee met on Wednesday, May 5, 2010, to consider the business of the Committee and agreed to make the following recommendations:

1. That, in relation to the document entitled “Basic Elements of the Procurement Process for Major Acquisitions,” received from the Department of National Defence in response to questions raised during its appearance before the Committee on Tuesday, March 30, 2010, on the study of Chapter 5, "Acquisition of Military Vehicles for Use in Afghanistan,” of the Fall 2009 Report of the Auditor General of Canada, the Department be asked to provide the dates on which the various stages of the procurement process were reached, as well as the position of the decision-maker at each stage, with respect to each of the four procurements under study, namely the

• Armoured Patrol Vehicle (RG-31)

• Light Armoured Vehicle Remote Weapon Station (LAV RWS)

• Armoured Heavy Support Vehicle System (AHSVS); and the

• Leopard 2 Tank.

2. That, in relation to the Committee’s study of Chapter 3, “Rehabilitating the Parliament Buildings,” of the Spring 2010 Report of the Auditor General of Canada, the Committee undertake a site visit to view the rehabilitation work in the Parliament buildings.

After debate, it was agreed that the Report be amended in Recommendation 1, by adding after the words “be asked to provide”, the following “, by June 30, 2010”.

It was agreed, — That the report be amended by adding the following new recommendation:

3. That, notwithstanding the motion adopted by the Committee on Thursday, April 29, 2010, the informal meeting over lunch with Members of Parliament from Mali and the Auditor General of Mali, be rescheduled to Tuesday, June 1, 2010.

The report, as amended, reads as follows:

Your Subcommittee met on Wednesday, May 5, 2010, to consider the business of the Committee and agreed to make the following recommendations:

1. That, in relation to the document entitled “Basic Elements of the Procurement Process for Major Acquisitions,” received from the Department of National Defence in response to questions raised during its appearance before the Committee on Tuesday, March 30, 2010, on the study of Chapter 5, "Acquisition of Military Vehicles for Use in Afghanistan,” of the Fall 2009 Report of the Auditor General of Canada, the Department be asked to provide, by June 30, 2010, the dates on which the various stages of the procurement process were reached, as well as the position of the decision-maker at each stage, with respect to each of the four procurements under study, namely the

• Armoured Patrol Vehicle (RG-31)

• Light Armoured Vehicle Remote Weapon Station (LAV RWS)

• Armoured Heavy Support Vehicle System (AHSVS); and the

• Leopard 2 Tank.

2. That, in relation to the Committee’s study of Chapter 3, “Rehabilitating the Parliament Buildings,” of the Spring 2010 Report of the Auditor General of Canada, the Committee undertake a site visit to view the rehabilitation work in the Parliament buildings.

3. That, notwithstanding the motion adopted by the Committee on Thursday, April 29, 2010, the informal meeting over lunch with Members of Parliament from Mali and the Auditor General of Mali, be rescheduled to Tuesday, June 1, 2010.

It was agreed, — That the report of the Subcommittee, as amended, be concurred in.

At 10:49 a.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.