Public Accounts Committee on Feb. 21st, 2007

[D/Commr Paul Gauvin]

There remains $340,000, and we are in discussions with Public Works and Government Services Canada to see who will reimburse that amount.

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

So the money will be returned to them. How long do you expect it will take?

[D/Commr Paul Gauvin]

That depends on Public Works and Government Services Canada. We are holding regular discussions.

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

How long did it take for those funds to be squandered?

[D/Commr Paul Gauvin]

Could you repeat that?

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

How long did it take for those funds to be misappropriated?

[D/Commr Paul Gauvin]

As soon as possible.

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

That is not what I wanted to know. How long did it take to squander the money?

[D/Commr Paul Gauvin]

It took three years.

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

This went on for a period of three years.

[D/Commr Paul Gauvin]

Yes.

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

That being said, I see that an individual—the RCMP's senior Human Resources Director—quit. I take it he was in shock. The Director of the National Compensation Policy Centre was suspended and later quit. One of those people, if I understood correctly, received a $13,000 performance bonus.

Is that correct? Can someone answer that?

[D/Commr Barbara George]

The performance bonuses for the RCMP, as with all the EX positions across government, are given annually. The individual in question was accorded a bonus for having met his duties--his key initiatives and his ongoing initiatives--so it was as a matter of fact.

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

I do not understand. One of the persons who quit obtained a $13,000 performance bonus. Is that correct?

[D/Commr Barbara George]

This was in the year prior to his resignation.

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

The person was given that bonus when he quit. Is that correct?

[D/Commr Barbara George]

After he was suspended--

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

Did people know that the funds had been misappropriated?

[D/Commr Barbara George]

No.

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

When was the bonus awarded?

[D/Commr Barbara George]

The bonus was awarded in the years prior to any allegations of wrongdoing having been put forward. That was when he received that bonus.

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

Merci beaucoup Monsieur Nadeau.

Mr. Williams.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

It seems to me this fund was managed as part of the RCMP within their normal confines. Originally it wasn't a separate fund with a separate manager or separate accounting; it was all within the financial management of the RCMP.

Am I correct on that, Commissioner?

[Commr Beverley Busson]

It went to an outsource during this period of time.

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

But prior to that the fund was managed in-house by the RCMP.