Government Operations Committee on June 16th, 2009

[The Chair, Liberal, Derek Lee]

We're resuming our meeting in a public session, and we're looking at future business proposed by Ms. Hall Findlay.

[Martha Hall Findlay, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

This motion follows on the motion that was passed the last time, asking for various information from Treasury Board. As you have summarized, Treasury Board came back and said that Public Works is the better department to ask for that information. This motion is in effect a follow-on to the last one that was passed, but now we're asking Public Works and Government Services to provide the information.

However, if I can dispense with reading the motion, given what the chair just said before we got onto the public record, there was a concern that the expenditure monitor for fiscal fourth quarter of 2008-09 was not complete, so we would like to change paragraph 3, the last paragraph, to read as follows:

the Comptroller General of Canada and/or such other representative(s) of the Comptroller General of Canada deemed appropriate by the Chair of the Committee...appear before the Committee on June 18, 2009 to discuss

--and here would be the change; instead of “CFMRS data”, we would have--

the expenditure monitor for fiscal fourth quarter 2008-2009 as is.

So it's not to provide it, but to be able to discuss where that information is to date.

Do I need to officially move that?

[The Chair, Liberal, Derek Lee]

I'll take it as having been moved by you.

Is this just part one of the motion or all of it?

[Martha Hall Findlay, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

We dispensed with reading the whole motion. I just added the change.

[The Chair, Liberal, Derek Lee]

It's the whole motion.

Would you like to make any further case for the adoption of your motion at this time?

We'll then have interventions from other members, or if there isn't any debate, we can put it to a vote.

[Martha Hall Findlay, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

I don't think I need to say more. There's nothing wrong with asking for the information. The motion was passed. We were simply informed by the Treasury Board that we should be asking a different department.

[The Chair, Liberal, Derek Lee]

Are there any other interventions from colleagues on this?

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

My only Intervention is that this would tie up our final meeting and divert some of the time allotted for Ms. Barrados to that. That's the only concern I would have. Other than that, let's just move and get on to our witnesses today.

[The Chair, Liberal, Derek Lee]

Could I clarify with the mover that if the motion were to be adopted and the Comptroller General or other representative showed up, it was your intention that we make room in the meeting for this? The meeting or at least part of it has been given over to the Public Service Commissioner.

[Martha Hall Findlay, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

Yes, but my expectation is that this would be relatively quick. I know we're packing a fair bit into that meeting, but it's important to be able to do so.

[The Chair, Liberal, Derek Lee]

Your main objective is to get the information and not necessarily go over it with a fine-tooth comb.

[Martha Hall Findlay, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

Absolutely, and if the Comptroller General could come and give us something, we could say thank you and move on to the next witnesses. That would be great.

[The Chair, Liberal, Derek Lee]

Is there any other debate on this?

I'll put the motion moved by Ms. Hall Findlay. It's been read or referred to, and you have copies in front of you.

(Motion negatived)

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

He was in agreement just now. He was there; he agreed with you. You agreed, did you not?

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

It was just with using the meeting for that. That was the only concern we had.

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

It's a little bit of time. It's 20 or 30 minutes?

[The Chair, Liberal, Derek Lee]

At this point, we're having some post-voting discussion.

[Martha Hall Findlay, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

There was a misunderstanding on what we were voting on.

[The Chair, Liberal, Derek Lee]

That's okay. We can allow time if members want to make interventions. We have a few minutes available.

[Martha Hall Findlay, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

Did I miss what your concern was with this?

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

My concern was, and our concern is, that we're inviting several witnesses to a meeting that we thought had been established some time ago for another purpose. That's the only concern.

On a point of information, I know that the Comptroller General is appearing before PACP right now. It's not as if these folks aren't available and haven't been available to other committees. This hadn't been on the agenda in the committee, and we thought it would be better to proceed with the schedule as we complete this year. The information, I think, has been requested, and the information will be forthcoming. That's our understanding. I just don't see the purpose of the committee doing the work that other people have already undertaken, especially when we had a scheduled witness coming in.

[Martha Hall Findlay, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

With all respect, we have our own obligations in this committee.

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

Absolutely, we do.

[Martha Hall Findlay, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

To the extent that Public Accounts is actually having its discussion with the Comptroller General, that may be satisfactory. Would you support the motion if we just took number three out?

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

I think the motion has been dealt with, but I think we could probably have a discussion leading up to the next meeting. Certainly, I'd be happy to go for coffee. I know that our leaders are going for coffee this afternoon.