PACP Committee Meeting

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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

Meeting No. 6

Thursday, February 26, 2009

The Standing Committee on Public Accounts met at 3:30 p.m. this day, in Room 237-C, Centre Block, the Chair, Shawn Murphy, presiding.

Members of the Committee present: David Christopherson, Bonnie Crombie, Luc Desnoyers, Meili Faille, Daryl Kramp, Hon. Shawn Murphy, Yasmin Ratansi, Andrew Saxton, Bev Shipley, John Weston and Terence Young.

Acting Members present: Derek Lee for Bonnie Crombie, Lee Richardson for Andrew Saxton and Justin Trudeau for Yasmin Ratansi.

In attendance: Library of Parliament: Andrew Kitching, Analyst ; Alex Smith, Analyst.

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

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

Your Subcommittee met on Tuesday, February 24, 2009 to consider the business of the Committee and agreed to make the following recommendations:

1. That, if possible given the existing work load of the Committee, the Committee resume consideration of draft reports prepared during the 39^th Parliament in relation to the following studies:

Chapter 7, "Acquisition of Leased Office Space" of the May 2006 Report of the Auditor General of Canada (Place Victoria);

Chapter 3, "Human Resources Management - Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada" of the May 2007 Report of the Auditor General of Canada;

Main Estimates 2008-2009: Vote 15 under FINANCE, and Part III - Report on Plans and Priorities and Departmental Performance Report of the Office of Auditor General of Canada;

Chapter 1, "Safeguarding Government Information and Assets in Contracting" of the October 2007 Report of the Auditor General of Canada;

Chapter 1, "Management of Fees in Selected Departments and Agencies" of the May 2008 Report of the Auditor General of Canada.

2. That any decision with respect to undertaking a study of Chapter 4, "Managing Risks to Canada's Plant Resources - Canadian Food Inspection Agency" of the December 2008 Report of the Auditor General be deferred until after the tabling of the March 2009 Report of the Auditor General of Canada.

3. That the Committee schedule meetings in April 2009 to:

consider the March 2009 Report of the Auditor General of Canada;

consider the Main Estimates, Departmental Performance Report and Report on Plans and Priorities of the Office of the Auditor General of Canada;

hold a briefing session with the Auditor General of Canada, the Secretary of the Treasury Board of Canada and the Comptroller General of Canada.

4. That the Committee Chair and staff be authorized to:

review Government responses to recommendations made by the Committee during the 39^th and 40^th Parliaments;

acknowledge by letter, on the Committee’ s behalf, receipt of Government responses where they respond clearly and completely to recommendations or request further information or clarification, as required;

monitor the implementation of Government commitments made in response to Committee recommendations, and request further information as required; and

That the Committee request the assistance of the Office of the Auditor General in its follow-up process by including the Committee's recommendations, where relevant, within the scope of its follow-up audits and by clearly reporting on the results of this work.

5. That the Clerk, in consultation with the Chair, be authorized to purchase from the Canadian Comprehensive Auditing Foundation (CCAF) copies of its publication “Parliamentary Oversight – Committees and Relationships – A Guide to Strengthening Public Accounts Committees”.

On motion of David Christopherson, it was agreed, — That the Third Report of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts be adopted.

At 3:37 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 3:38 p.m., the Committee proceeded to sit in camera.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(g), the Committee resumed consideration of the Public Accounts of Canada 2008 referred to the Committee on Monday, December 1, 2008.

The Committee commenced consideration of a draft report.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(g), the Committee resumed consideration of Chapter 4, "First Nations Child and Family Services Program - Indian and Northern Affairs Canada" of the May 2008 Report of the Auditor General of Canada.

The Committee commenced consideration of a draft report.

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

It was agreed, — That subject to availability, the meeting of Tuesday, March 3, 2009, on Chapter 1, "A Study of Federal Transfers to Provinces and Territories" of the December 2008 Report of the Auditor General of Canada be televised.

At 5:28 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

Joann Garbig
Clerk of the Committee

2009/03/06 12:45 p.m.