What...?
Evidence of meeting #5 for Public Accounts in the 39th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was accounting.
Evidence of meeting #5 for Public Accounts in the 39th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was accounting.
Comptroller General of Canada, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
Well, when we met with the secretary, he said that transaction would have triggered a qualification. That led me to my conclusion: I will not do anything that will knowingly trigger a qualification on the financial statements of the Government of Canada. If the Auditor General is of the opinion that this would trigger a qualification because her perspective is that it should have been recorded, I might disagree with it, but at the end of the day I will depend on the opinion of the Auditor General and will respect the opinion of the Auditor General. I'm always going to try to get an unqualified audit opinion. So on that basis...that's what led to my changes.
NDP
Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON
Given the change in government and their attitude towards the firearms centre, was there any political pressure brought on you to make the change?
Comptroller General of Canada, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
For me, no.
NDP
Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON
Was there any discussion with the minister during that period of time—from the time of the election until March, when the decision was actually made to change the opinion?
Comptroller General of Canada, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
I came on board on June 1, so—
Comptroller General of Canada, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
I'm sorry. No.
NDP
Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON
There was no discussion between yourself and the Minister of Public Safety between, let's say, February when he became the minister and March when the decision was made, for you to change the position of the department?
Comptroller General of Canada, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
The answer is no.
NDP
Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON
Okay.
Ms. Fraser, I want to pin down exactly when you were notified that the Comptroller General had changed his position and that they in fact were accepting yours.
Auditor General, Office of the Auditor General of Canada
Well, I guess that would be today, sir, because the government has never been—
NDP
Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON
Well, you can't say that, Ms. Fraser. It's in the report that they've accepted it.
Auditor General, Office of the Auditor General of Canada
No, the government has indicated that they accept our interpretation... They accept the first error of $39 million, but they have never indicated to us whether they have changed their position on the $21 million. They've indicated that there can be a different interpretation, but we have always had the impression that they have maintained that their position was the correct one. If the government is saying today that they accept our interpretation and agree with it, this is the first time I have heard that.
Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON
Ms. Fraser, when would you have been notified of the position they took?
Auditor General, Office of the Auditor General of Canada
Late March, I guess. It was very late. We could get the exact date if you want, but it was very late in the process.
Liberal
Liberal
Borys Wrzesnewskyj Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON
Thank you, Chair.
Mr. St-Jean, you arrived on the job, and you had questions on a couple of items. In your opening statement, in point 14, you say:
My position was that the Auditor General should be consulted as soon as possible to ensure that all facts were known to the Auditor General....
We know the timeline, which was very promptly, but were all facts presented as you were familiar with them at that time?
Comptroller General of Canada, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
As I said, I came on board on June 1. I was first notified by my officials that there was an issue with this file on June 17. I met with my predecessor on June 29 to discuss this matter and to have a better understanding of it. Then there was a meeting for the closing of the public accounts, I believe, on August 10. And if I recall, I was away for one week of vacation in the first week in August. That might have been played as the reason this meeting was not sooner than that, but it was August 10.
At that time, as I mentioned, there were two transactions and one was that I put the legal opinion on the table to explain what the legal opinion said.
Liberal
Borys Wrzesnewskyj Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON
Thank you.
And soon afterwards--we don't have a date, but you reference it in the Auditor General's report--the Office of the Auditor General subsequently advised verbally that it had no issues with the accounting for this matter. When did that occur?
Comptroller General of Canada, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
I would have to ask. It was very shortly thereafter.
Liberal
Borys Wrzesnewskyj Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON
And who was the official from the Auditor General's office who provided that opinion?
Comptroller General of Canada, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
Can I ask my colleague who received this?
My colleague, Bill Matthews, is a senior director in the office of the Comptroller General.
