Mr. D'Amours.
Evidence of meeting #49 for Public Accounts in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was question.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #49 for Public Accounts in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was question.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
Jean-Claude D'Amours Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I don't know if my colleague would accept a friendly amendment, or simply an amendment. After the request about the correspondence exchanged between April 15, 2007 and April 30, 2009, there is a semicolon. We could add there "and the documents from the President of the Treasury Board on the matter of the legal advice given to award amounts to Ms. Ouimet."
During question period, the President of the Treasury Board said a few times that he had received legal advice. I think that it would be good to obtain those documents as well. This note could be added after the semicolon. I don't know if my colleague is willing to accept a friendly amendment.
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
Jean-Claude D'Amours Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Yes? So, this would be included in the motion, and we could vote on it.
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
Jean-Claude D'Amours Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
An addition saying, "including the legal advice received by the Treasury Board on the matter of the departure agreement." That involves the amounts paid to Ms. Ouimet.
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
Jean-Claude D'Amours Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
After the semicolon. It reads, "from April 15, 2007 to April 30, 2009"; After that, we would add what I just said.
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
Jean-Claude D'Amours Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
I'll write it down, "including the legal advice received by Treasury Board on the matter of the departure agreement" between Ms. Ouimet and the Government of Canada.
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
Jean-Claude D'Amours Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Severance pay or departure agreement, whichever is the most specific.
The minister keeps talking about it, and it created some confusion this afternoon during question period. So it is important to have all the documents in question and to read them.
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Joe Volpe
All right. If you'll write it down, then we can deal with it.
Mr. Saxton, you have a comment.
5:20 p.m.
Conservative
Andrew Saxton Conservative North Vancouver, BC
I have.
Along the same lines as Mr. D'Amours, I would ask our colleague to consider a friendly amendment to his motion. It is something consistent with what we discussed last time, and that is “that all documents delivered to the Committee shall be reviewed by the Committee members”—that's plural, members with an “s”—“to determine what is necessary to disclose for the public interest, as advised by the Parliamentary Law Clerk and the Deputy Privacy Commissioner of Canada”. I would ask our friend and colleague to please consider that amendment, which I believe is consistent and in line with what was discussed and agreed in the last meeting as to the handling of these documents.
Thank you for that consideration.
5:20 p.m.
NDP
David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.
Isn't that moot, based on what you just said?
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
Navdeep Bains Liberal Mississauga—Brampton South, ON
Just as a point of clarification of the process, is this an amendment to the amendment? I just want to know.
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Joe Volpe
Let me go through that—unless you want to take my spot. That's okay too.
We have an amendment from Monsieur D'Amours, and we have another, a subamendment, from Mr. Saxton.
Mr. Saxton, do you want to amend Mr. D'Amours' amendment? Is that what you want to do?
5:20 p.m.
Conservative
Andrew Saxton Conservative North Vancouver, BC
This is added; it's in addition to. It's Mr. Bains' original motion with Mr. D'Amours' amendment, and then with mine added on to it.
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Joe Volpe
All right. Well, let's decide....
I'm sorry, just hear me out for a second.
Let's decide on Mr. D'Amours' amendment to Mr. Bains' motion first.
Mr. D'Amours says that after “April 30, 2009” we should add “including the legal advice received by Treasury Board on the matter of the departure agreement with Madame Ouimet”. That's all it says. It just expanded the motion.
Mr. Kramp.
