Evidence of meeting #94 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 42nd Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was campaigns.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Ramez Ayoub Liberal Thérèse-De Blainville, QC
I have another question, before my time runs out.
We talked about the Auditor General. Has a request been made? I did not understand that part. The request was made and a report was produced. If I understood correctly, the report was produced a long time ago.
Deputy Minister, Intergovernmental Affairs and Youth, Privy Council Office
I think that a report was produced, but once the new system was implemented, the Auditor General was asked to review the system and send us a report on the assessment of the new system. That has not yet been done. It is up to him, or his office, to decide on the date, the extent of the review and its schedule. It is up to his office to tell us when the review will begin.
Liberal
Ramez Ayoub Liberal Thérèse-De Blainville, QC
Okay. Normally, a request is made.
He could have also decided on his own to conduct that review.
Deputy Minister, Intergovernmental Affairs and Youth, Privy Council Office
He could have decided on his own to do so.
Liberal
Ramez Ayoub Liberal Thérèse-De Blainville, QC
The request has been made and you are waiting to see what will happen.
Thank you.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski
Thank you very much.
To all our witnesses, thank you for your appearance here today and for taking the time out of your busy schedules to be with us. Thank you for your testimony.
Should you have any additional information that you feel would be of benefit to this committee, I would ask you to submit it directly to our clerk. I note that there were a few questions that you did not have an opportunity to respond to. I would ask that you direct those responses to our clerk, in written form, for the benefit of our committee.
Thank you once again, ladies and gentlemen. You are excused.
Colleagues, before we adjourn—we'll be in public, and I'm not in camera on this one—I'll just inform you that, with the motion that was carried at our last meeting, the PBO has been invited and has accepted our invitation to appear on Tuesday. We will have a full two-hour meeting with the parliamentary budget officer on Tuesday next week. I have not scheduled any meetings beyond that, because quite frankly, we don't know when we are going to rise. I suspect it will be before next Thursday, which means that next Tuesday would be our final meeting of the session.
Kyle, go ahead.
Liberal
Kyle Peterson Liberal Newmarket—Aurora, ON
I'm just wondering if there's an appetite to not have next Tuesday's meeting at all.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski
We've already extended the invitation. There was a motion to that effect. The PBO has accepted that invitation, so we will be having a meeting next Tuesday, unless, of course—
Conservative
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Sorry, I thought we were going in camera.
I understand that between the parties there are discussions about the estimates reform. If the two sides or three sides accept the suggestion that the government has, then I think it's kind of a moot point to have the PBO attend. If the sides do not accept what the government is proposing, then I would propose that we go ahead with the Tuesday meeting. However, if they do accept the proposal on the estimates reform, then Tuesday becomes a moot point, I think.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
So, we should just wait until the end of the day, until we find out.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski
We have a motion that was carried. An invitation was extended and accepted, so at this point in time, we're on for a meeting on Tuesday.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Right.
We can adjust later, but I'll follow up with the government side.
NDP
Erin Weir NDP Regina—Lewvan, SK
I was going to say that I'm not so sure it is a moot point. I mean, even if all three major parties agree on something, it's still interesting and worthwhile to hear other voices.
Conservative
NDP
Erin Weir NDP Regina—Lewvan, SK
Yes, exactly. I would even suggest that it might make sense to have that meeting televised. I think there could be quite a bit of public interest in it.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski
Under the norms, particularly in committee rooms such as this, it will be televised.
I'm taking that as a request. We'll certainly see if we can accommodate that.
Liberal
Kyle Peterson Liberal Newmarket—Aurora, ON
Well, I for one would hope to be going back to Newmarket—Aurora next week.
Conservative
Liberal
Yasmin Ratansi Liberal Don Valley East, ON
Mr. Chair, from your previous experience, do you think we're going to stay?