Public Accounts Committee on Nov. 4th, 2009

Evidence of meeting #38 for Public Accounts in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chapter.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Fall 2009 Report of the Auditor General of Canada
Committee Business

MPs speaking

Shawn Murphy
Bonnie Crombie
John Weston
Meili Faille
David Christopherson
Andrew Saxton
Derek Lee
Daryl Kramp
Bev Shipley
Terence Young

Also speaking

Sheila Fraser  Auditor General of Canada, Office of the Auditor General of Canada
Scott Vaughan  Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, Office of the Auditor General of Canada
Neil Maxwell  Assistant Auditor General, Office of the Auditor General of Canada
Richard Flageole  Assistant Auditor General, Office of the Auditor General of Canada
Hugh McRoberts  Assistant Auditor General, Office of the Auditor General of Canada
Wendy Loschiuk  Assistant Auditor General, Office of the Auditor General of Canada

5:30 p.m.

Bloc

Meili Faille Bloc Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC

I believe my colleagues have already made their position known. As I see it, my Conservative colleagues are throwing in the towel too quickly where this matter is concerned. I think everything that needed to be said has been said and we are prepared to put the motion to a vote, Mr. Chair.

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Shawn Murphy

There is a preamble, but I'm just going to read the motion. It reads: “That the Committee ask the Auditor General to conduct an audit of the Integrated Relocation Program (IRP) as of April 1999, including the tendering and awarding of the 2009 contract, and to present her findings to Parliament”.

5:30 p.m.

Bloc

Meili Faille Bloc Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC

One minute, Mr. Chair, the first paragraph is in the motion as well. There was a typo. It was supposed to be a lower-case letter instead of a capital “Q“ in French.

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Shawn Murphy

The first paragraph was the preamble.

5:30 p.m.

Bloc

Meili Faille Bloc Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC

It goes together, or else....

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Shawn Murphy

We are voting on the whole thing. There's no question about that.

5:30 p.m.

Bloc

Meili Faille Bloc Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC

Thank you.

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Shawn Murphy

All those in favour? Those contrary minded?

Okay, I'm prepared to support the motion, and I'll give you my reasons.

The Auditor General, as I said in my opening remarks, will make her own assessment on this thing. I have no doubt that she will do this audit on the strength of the audit. I have a concern about the size of the contract. She will have a look at it. She has her own risk methodology, and if her office thinks it warrants further investigation, she will do it. I'm thoroughly convinced that if she thinks it does not warrant further investigation, she will not.

So I will support the motion.

(Motion agreed to)

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Shawn Murphy

Is there any further business?

If not, the bells are ringing. We will see you on Monday, November 16.

The meeting is adjourned.