Government Operations Committee on Dec. 13th, 2011

[John McCallum, Liberal, Markham—Unionville, ON]

Thank you.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Thank you, Mr. Dion.

Mike Wallace, you have five minutes.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I want to thank our guest for coming today and for handling all of these great questions.

I have a basic question for you. You mentioned in your presentation and in your résumé that you came out of retirement to do this particular job. You've been doing it for one year now. As an individual Canadian, what motivated you, what made you decide it was important for you to come back out of retirement to work in this integrity position?

[Mario Dion]

Frankly--and I mean it--I read the act when it came out, and I believe this is an important tool. I was very concerned when I read the AG report. I saw a disaster, essentially, described. Madam Fraser was extremely credible. I took for granted everything she wrote in her report and I said I think I can contribute something to this.

I was not looking for full-time work, by the way. I wanted to make a contribution. PCO offered me the job of interim commissioner. That was not part of my plan. Then I started doing it and implemented the three aspects I talked about. I took pleasure in doing it. I think we will achieve some significant results. That's why I've applied for the job of permanent commissioner. It's as simple as that.

It wasn't the initial intention. Six months ago I had no intention of applying. But I did decide to apply, because more and more I'm convinced we will make something good of this.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

When did you become the actual interim commissioner? What was the date?

[Mario Dion]

It was December 20, 2010.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

It was one year ago.

[Mario Dion]

Yes.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

In that timeframe—and you don't have to tell me—other than the minister, were members of Parliament from any party contacting you to see what was happening? Did you get any feedback or any inquiries from anybody in Parliament on what was happening with the Integrity Commissioner?

[Mario Dion]

No. Do you mean interference, or do you mean--

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

Oh, no. I mean to see the work you were doing, to see what you were doing to make improvements based on the Auditor General's report. Did anybody contact you from the back bench on that?

[Mario Dion]

I did contact your predecessor, Chair, to offer a briefing. Your predecessor took me up on it, so I met with him and gave him a briefing.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

You gave him a briefing.

[Mario Dion]

I also offered briefings to a few other people before the election and since the election, but I have yet to brief anybody else.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

Okay.

I wasn't aware of the advisory committee that you put together. Could you tell me—I think you did, but I want to be sure I understand—who was invited and who participates on that?

[Mario Dion]

I did not bring the material with me, but it's relatively easy to remember. It's chaired by me. It's an advisory committee, so it's not a decision-making body. The role is to provide the commissioner with advice.

The deputy commissioner is a member, as is the executive director. So there are three from Public Sector Integrity Canada, three from the so-called unions—I mean PSAC, the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, and APEX, Association of Professional Executives of the Public Service of Canada, which is not a union but it's an association of employees. The Treasury Board Secretariat sends an ADM, Ross MacLeod, who is responsible for the area we're talking about. We also have the executive director of the tribunal attending and we have two senior officers from departments, who were picked from among the best, according to the advice I was given. I wanted them to be involved as well to have a voice at the committee.

Am I forgetting anyone? It's multipartite, government and non-government. Part of my reason for doing it that way was that I wanted the Treasury Board to hear what FAIR has to say about certain things and what PIPSC might have to say, because we're all in this together.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

So there are outside groups that are part of this advisory group?

[Mario Dion]

That's right. They are a part--

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

Does everyone have an opportunity to contribute to what will be on the agenda at those meetings?

[Mario Dion]

Yes.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

How many of those have you held since you've taken office?

[Mario Dion]

We've had three meetings.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

If I heard you correctly, you intend to continue that advisory role, if you're fortunate enough to be appointed commissioner.

[Mario Dion]

January 31 is the next appointed meeting.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

So that would be yes.