PACP Committee Meeting

Notices of Meeting include information about the subject matter to be examined by the committee and date, time and place of the meeting, as well as a list of any witnesses scheduled to appear. The Evidence is the edited and revised transcript of what is said before a committee. The Minutes of Proceedings are the official record of the business conducted by the committee at a sitting.

For an advanced search, use Publication Search tool.

If you have any questions or comments regarding the accessibility of this publication, please contact us at accessible@parl.gc.ca.

Previous day publication Next day publication

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

Meeting No. 45

Monday, March 26, 2007

The Standing Committee on Public Accounts met in a televised session at 3:28 p.m. this day, in Room 253-D, Centre Block, the Chair, the Hon. Shawn Murphy, presiding.

Members of the Committee present: Paule Brunelle, David Christopherson, Brian Fitzpatrick, Jean-Yves Laforest, Mike Lake, Hon. Shawn Murphy, Pierre Poilievre, Hon. Judy Sgro, David Sweet, John Williams and Borys Wrzesnewskyj.

Acting Members present: Hon. Raymond Simard for Pablo Rodriguez.

In attendance: Library of Parliament: Brian O'Neal, Analyst ; Alex Smith, Analyst.

Witnesses: Office of the Auditor General of Canada: Sheila Fraser, Auditor General of Canada. As an individual: Ron Stewart, Former Correctional Investigator. Office of the Correctional Investigator: Howard Sapers, Correctional Investigator. Treasury Board Secretariat: Charles-Antoine St-Jean, Comptroller General of Canada. Privy Council Office: Marc O'Sullivan, Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet, Senior Personnel and Special Projects Secretariat. Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness: Suzanne Hurtubise, Deputy Minister.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(g), the Committee commenced consideration of Chapter 11, Protection of Public Assets - Office of the Correctional Investigator of the November 2006 Report of the Auditor General of Canada.

Sheila Fraser made an opening statement and answered questions.

Ron Stewart made an opening statement and answered questions.

Howard Sapers made an opening statement and answered questions.

Charles-Antoine St-Jean made an opening statement and answered questions.

Marc O'Sullivan made an opening statement and answered questions.

Suzanne Hurtubise made an opening statement and answered questions.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee resumed its study on the Review of the Roles and Responsibilities of the Treasury Board Secretariat.

Borys Wrzesnewskyj moved, — That the Protocol for appearance of Accounting Officers before the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, be adopted by this Committee as the interim protocol governing the appearance of Accounting Officers before this Committee pending the adoption of a final protocol and that it be tabled in the House of Commons as the Thirteenth report of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts.

After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was agreed to on the following recorded division: YEAS: Paule Brunelle, David Christopherson, Jean-Yves Laforest, Judy Sgro, Raymond Simard, Borys Wrzesnewskyj — 6; NAYS: Brian Fitzpatrick, Mike Lake, Pierre Poilievre, David Sweet — 4.

Borys Wrzesnewskyj moved, — That the Clerk be authorized to make such editorial and typographical changes including the approved ones as necessary, without changing the substance of the Report, and

That the Chair be authorised to table the Report in the House.

After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 6; NAYS: 4.

The Committee proceeded to the consideration of matters related to Committee business.

David Sweet moved, — That Professor Franks be directed to meet with the President of the Treasury Board in order to develop a revised draft of the protocol that addresses the issues raised in the March 13th letter to the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee from the President of the Treasury Board and aligned with the document, "Accounting Officers: Guidance on Roles, Responsibilities and Appearances Before Parliamentary Committees", and that he return with this revised draft within two weeks.

After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was negatived on the following recorded division: YEAS: Brian Fitzpatrick, Mike Lake, Pierre Poilievre, David Sweet — 4; NAYS: Paule Brunelle, David Christopherson, Jean-Yves Laforest, Judy Sgro, Raymond Simard, Borys Wrzesnewskyj — 6.

At 5:44 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

Georges Etoka
Clerk of the Committee

2007/03/27 11:22 a.m.