The Chair presented the First Report of the Subcommittee on the Protection of Witnesses and Testimony which read as follows:The Subcommittee met on Thursday, February 26, 2004 and agreed to report as follows:
The Chair provided the members of the Subcommittee numbered copies of the content of the brown envelope and after discussion the copies were returned to the Clerk.
The Subcommittee agreed to make the following recommendations:
1. - That the Committee present a Report to the House indicating that the Committee agrees with the President of the Treasury Board that the whistleblowing legislation be applied retroactively to witnesses appearing before this Committee in relation to its study of Chapters 3, 4 and 5 of the November 2003 Report of the Auditor General of Canada and that the Report indicate that there be no administrative sanction for anyone below the level of Director General who broke the Financial Administration Act in regard to the sponsorship program provided that they received no benefit whatsoever.
2. That Joseph Charles Guité and Pierre Tremblay be requested to appear before the Committee in March 2004.
3. - That the Committee meeting with the Hon. Alfonso Gagliano be held on March 18, 19 or 17 from 9:00 a.m. to 11: 00 a.m., 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 2:30 p. m. to 4:00 p.m. with the possibility of continuing with the witness on the next sitting day.