Evidence of meeting #21 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was office.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Martha Hall Findlay Liberal Willowdale, ON
But I think this will be edifying for all of our colleagues.
I was curious about the specific reference to the CBC, in the grand scheme of all of the media outlets in this country. Is there an explanation?
Commissioner, Public Sector Integrity, Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner
The CBC, first of all, is a crown corporation. It's covered under it, but it was a provision that my general counsel.... This was part of the bill that was discussed previously. Essentially, it says: “Nothing in this Act relating to the making of disclosures is to be construed as applying to the dissemination of news and information by a person employed by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation for that purpose”.
Liberal
Commissioner, Public Sector Integrity, Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner
Correct.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Derek Lee
Okay.
Colleagues, we've had a good look at this. We have some committee business we'd like to transact immediately following this, so I will thank the commissioner, the deputy commissioner, and general counsel. Thank you all for coming. It has been a very informative meeting. Good luck in your work. You may withdraw at this time.
Colleagues, I want to go through one thing. As you will be aware, the subcommittee on agenda and procedure met this morning. We reviewed a future agenda. The subcommittee members came to a conclusion on setting down an agenda for meetings that push on into the month of June. I'm going to outline it for you and read the subcommittee's report:
Your Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure met this morning to consider the business of the committee and agreed to make the following recommendations: 1. That the committee study the Supplementary Estimates A 2009-2010 at the same time as the Main Estimates 2009-2010, both on Tuesday, May 26, and Thursday, May 28.
That item has already been partly indicated on the calendar, which you have. We've added the supplementary estimates.
2. That the committee study a draft report on Federal Government Procurement Processes on Tuesday, June 2.
We are assembling a report on that. Members will all be familiar with this activity.
3. That the committee have another meeting on the Economic Stimulus Package after the appearance of Minister Toews before the committee on Tuesday, May 26, and that that meeting happen on Thursday, June 4, 2009. 4. That the committee invite the Public Service Commission to appear on Tuesday, June 9, 2009. 5. That a member of the official opposition be added to the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure.
Those were the conclusions.
We had a discussion at the subcommittee on how difficult it was for the chair to fulfill his responsibilities at the subcommittee.
That is the report of the subcommittee. I'd like someone to move that. Do we have a mover?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Derek Lee
Thank you, Mr. Warkentin.
Now, I wanted to indicate that the appearance of the Public Service Commission is no longer just a concept meeting. We've been advised that Madame Barrados and the commission will be releasing three reports, certainly two, imminently. They're imminent in the sense of...tomorrow.
The Clerk of the Committee Mr. Michel Marcotte
Two audits tomorrow, and a report replying to Madame Bourgeois.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Derek Lee
So within the next day or two, there will be reports on the subject matters that we have been exposed to earlier. One of them is the student work experience program. Members will be familiar with that issue. Secondly, there is a report on unauthorized access to the public service.
These reports will be released within the next 24 hours, with a third one following shortly thereafter. The meeting of June 9 will be on at least one of those subjects. I'll just leave it at that. I'll leave the Public Service Commission the job of making public their reports. Sometimes their plans to release a report could be delayed, and I didn't want to be the person announcing them.
There it is. It's been moved. Is there any more debate? Can we adopt?
(Motion agreed to)
Thank you.
Mr. Warkentin, do you want to say something?
Conservative
Chris Warkentin Conservative Peace River, AB
Mr. Chairman, I wanted to ask a question, having not been at this type of committee meeting, with regard to the federal procurement report. There may be some hearings, and we'll see an initial concept of what the report is going to look like in that June 2 meeting. My suspicion is that there may be a need for a follow-up meeting to finalize everything.
I would be curious to know if we could confirm a date now, simply because I do not want to go into the summer having not completed that particular report. Perhaps we could at least pencil in a meeting following the 9th, if that would work, or if there's a time in which we could fit it into the remainder of a meeting where we don't feel we'll take the entire meeting with what's planned.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Derek Lee
That's an excellent suggestion. We have meeting time available on the 11th, 16th, 18th, and maybe on the 23rd. So if we haven't adopted this report sooner, then let us target Thursday, June 11, as the date when we'll adopt the finalized report.
Is that viable, Ms. Scratch, from your point of view? It is.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Derek Lee
That's great. We're all agreed. Are we all agreed to adjourn?
I'm sorry, is there something for the record here?
Liberal