Public Accounts Committee on Feb. 7th, 2007

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

Monsieur Laforest.

[Jean-Yves Laforest, Bloc, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

I'd like to clarify one point. I never asked that Mr. Marshall be subpoenaed. We can check the “blues” if necessary.

We said once again, in the context of the discussion, that he had withdrawn. However, he told us that he was ill.

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

The Marshall case was somewhat different. He was out of the city for health reasons. To my way of thinking, that was a totally different circumstance. Mr. Marshall never told anyone, at any point, that he did not want to appear before the committee.

Maybe Mr. Williams' suggestion is appropriate under the circumstances, but if it happens in two or three months' time, I think our approach may have to be different.

[John Williams, Conservative, Edmonton—St. Albert, AB]

I have no problem with the motion—

[Jean-Yves Laforest, Bloc, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

Mr. Chair, I've only sat on this committee for six months. I therefore can't have referred to that. We were concerned with Mr. Marshall a little before the holidays, and there had been no other events before that. Whatever the case may be, I never requested any such thing.

In the case before us, the situation is truly different. Through the clerk, we sent the Deputy Minister of Health an invitation to appear before this committee, and he answered. In my opinion, the committee will have to look into this matter. If a motion is required, that could well delay our proceedings. It's often said that that takes time. I would agree for us to issue a subpoena in this case, since the Deputy Minister of Health has already answered. That wasn't the case with Mr. Marshall.

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

Mr. Wrzesnewskyj, did you have a comment?

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Just for added clarity, what exactly was his excuse for saying he would not appear?

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

The problem is that it's coming second-hand to me. I'll ask the clerk to respond to that.

[The Clerk]

When I phoned my counterpart in Health Canada, I was given the names of the witnesses, but the names that were given to me did not include the name of the deputy minister. I called this afternoon and requested that the deputy minister be present. I was told they were going to get back to me as soon as possible to let me know whether he was going to be there or not.

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

So we don't have a clear refusal; we just don't have an answer.

[Brian Fitzpatrick, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

Talk to Mr. Christopherson.

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

I'm inclined to agree with Mr. Williams that this should come by way of a motion, and I would entertain that motion. I will call the deputy minister and suggest that he be here on Monday. If he's not here on Monday—

[John Williams, Conservative, Edmonton—St. Albert, AB]

Mr. Chair, I'll move that the chair call the Deputy Minister of Health and inform him that the committee passed a motion requesting that he be here at 3:30 Monday afternoon, as the accounting officer for the department.

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

If I can reword this, or just reverse it, the motion should read that the committee invites him to be here on Monday. I think that's all we have to do. I'll call him, but the motion from the committee should be that we invite him.

[John Williams, Conservative, Edmonton—St. Albert, AB]

Okay, then the motion will be that you inform the deputy minister that the committee has invited him, as the accounting officer, to be here at 3:30 on Monday afternoon.

[Brian Fitzpatrick, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

But an invitation is usually something you can either accept or reject. This is not really an invitation. We want him here.

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

It's an invitation from the public accounts committee.

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

Is there any further discussion? All in favour of the motion?

(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

We're going to suspend for two or three minutes, colleagues.

[Proceedings continue in camera]