Public Accounts Committee on June 4th, 2007

[Anthony Koziol]

He provided us with the information that CAC provided contracting services that were legal and audited. It seemed like a reasonable approach.

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

Thank you, Mr. Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Koziol.

I have a quick question for you, Mr. Guimont. How did you enjoy your first day on the job?

[François Guimont]

It's been interesting, I must admit—very interesting. This will be a fair amount of work, I believe, and I'll just take it that way, quite straightforwardly.

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

Thank you very much.

Mr. Christopherson.

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Might I be allowed to place one very quick question to the chief superintendent with regard to where this whole matter stands right now, to determine whether or not I want to move a motion? It'll only take a second, if you'll indulge me.

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

Okay, go ahead.

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Were all of the issues that Staff Sergeant Frizzell found and all the allegations that were made followed up on in further police investigations? Was it done to the satisfaction of the investigator, do you know?

[C/Supt Fraser Macaulay]

No. The opening statements by both Mr. Frizzell and Mr. Walker.... That is the reason we ended up meeting and having discussions. We're not comfortable with the follow-through that has been completed.

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

I only wanted to bring attention to that because we're about to leave this. We have limited meetings, and I just want to put on the record that while we don't have the luxury of planning another meeting—although if we didn't have these other ones, it would happen, I'm sure, because there are enough things here to go after—at the very least we ought to reserve the right to look at Mr. Brown's investigation. If these things are not adequately dealt with, then at the very least they have to be part of the recommendations we make, because at the core here is whether or not initial fraud was taking place. This is pretty big.

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

I agree, Mr. Christopherson.

On a point of order, Mr. Fitzpatrick.

[Brian Fitzpatrick, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

I think it would be good for the committee to send a nice thank you to Mr. Marshall, because without Mr. Marshall I don't think we'd ever have had this KPMG audit and have found the stink and the stuff that's going on here, the rigging and so on that we've all discovered here. This is what we expect from public servants. I think he's an outstanding public servant and that we should all pass on kudos to this gentleman and wish him well in his new job.

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

Yes, I'll do that, because I think he was a very helpful witness. That's a point well taken.

There are a couple of things I want to talk about.

Mr. Crupi has another engagement. You can....

First of all, I want to put in a plug for the annual meeting of the GOPAC association. The Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption meeting is tonight at six o'clock in Room 269, West Block. Everyone is invited and urged to attend.

The last item of business is the minutes of the steering committee, which were circulated earlier. Ms. Sgro wanted to return to them.

Did you have something to discuss?

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

I just want to get a better understanding of part 2, but I have read it a few times and have had some discussions, so I understand where you're going with it. I'm fine with it at the moment, but I look at some of these witnesses and wonder whether there are any changes after today.

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

We're not anticipating any.

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

Are there any deletions from the current list that we're looking at, after today?

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

We're not anticipating any.

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

All right, that's fine for me.

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

We need a mover.

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Just as a further clarification, some of these are names I have not heard mentioned during testimony. I may be incorrect in that, but it would be helpful if we could get.... I assume it says these are witnesses from Great-West Life. It would be helpful to get their exact titles and responsibilities, and the same with Morneau Sobeco.

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

We'll get that.

Will someone move the adoption of the minutes? Ms. Sgro?

Mr. Williams.

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

I just don't want a repeat of what happened the last time, when we voted for something and then found out we'd actually voted for something we weren't even aware we were doing. But this seems to be reasonably okay, so I will support it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

That's good that we have some support.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

That concludes the business of the committee.

We will now adjourn the meeting. I thank everyone for their attendance.