Evidence of meeting #70 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 service.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
You know that if we get into a shemozzle, you're coming back?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Shawn Murphy
Thank you very much.
Does anyone know if that's a 15-minute bell or a 30-minute bell?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Shawn Murphy
Okay. First of all, we have another item of business, and I'm not certain how much time we have left, so what I'd like to do is suspend questioning.
I want to thank all the witnesses who appeared here today. Does anyone have any brief closing comments?
Go ahead, Ms. Fraser.
Auditor General of Canada, Office of the Auditor General of Canada
Mr. Chair, I'd just like to thank the committee for their interest in the report. I would like to say that we were pleased with the attention and the seriousness with which Passport Canada dealt with the recommendations from the 2005 report.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Shawn Murphy
Thank you, Ms. Fraser.
Mr. Edwards, do you have any brief closing remarks?
Deputy Minister, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Just to repeat that we're very pleased to be here today, and we'd be pleased to come back any time to continue to discuss the work we're trying to do.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Shawn Murphy
I want to reiterate our thanks to you, Mr. Edwards, members from Passport Canada, and members from the Office of the Auditor General.
Members, there are a couple of items I want to deal with, and I'm not exactly sure how much time I have left. The first item is tomorrow's meeting. As everyone is aware, on Monday a motion was passed to have a meeting tomorrow, and there were a number of witnesses in the motion: Stockwell Day, David Brown, Beverley A. Busson, Giuliano Zaccardelli, Hon. Anne McLellan, and John Spice. I guess it was passed late Monday. The clerk made attempts to contact these people. He ended up contacting most of them, and none of them could attend, all for legitimate and varied reasons. They have other commitments, they're travelling, they're on vacation—I'm not suggesting for a minute that anyone is trying to avoid coming before the committee, and I hope nobody takes that intention. So we don't have anyone tomorrow. We could meet and discuss the RCMP or other issues or we could cancel the meeting. That is a decision entirely up to the committee.
Liberal
Judy Sgro Liberal York West, ON
Just for the record, Ms. McLellan was available tomorrow. I think that should be noted.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Shawn Murphy
She was and she wasn't. She did contact the office and said if it was absolutely necessary she could make it here, but she had other commitments and it would be quite an effort, but technically, she could be here. I doubt she'd get a flight here now anyway.
Mr. Wrzesnewskyj.
Liberal
Borys Wrzesnewskyj Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON
As opposed to cancelling, rescheduling the meeting at a convenient time...and we leave that in your good hands.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Shawn Murphy
What is the appetite of the committee for a summer meeting? Again, I'm in the hands of the committee. It does create a lot of scheduling problems to try to get 12 members, with their schedules, and six very busy individuals.
Liberal
Borys Wrzesnewskyj Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON
Mr. Chair, I'd like to move that we schedule a meeting during the summer. It's a simple motion. It doesn't require any explanation. So if there's a seconder...?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Shawn Murphy
You're saying, Mr. Wrzesnewskyj, you want to schedule this meeting some time in the summer?
Liberal
Liberal
Borys Wrzesnewskyj Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON
I think you need to make a few phone calls to witnesses and committee members and the whips to see what kind of availability there is, but I think a summer meeting could be scheduled.
But once again, we leave that in your hands. I believe there is a seconder.
Conservative
John Williams Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB
I can understand, Mr. Chairman, Mr. Wrzesnewskyj's desire to have this meeting, but does he think the taxpayer really likes 12 members of Parliament coming in here for a two-hour meeting? For me to come in it's the airfare from Edmonton to Ottawa and return. It's the same for Mr. Lake. It's tens of thousands of dollars to have a special meeting of the committee in the summertime. Of course, perhaps some people have other things to do and you may call the meeting and have no quorum, and then you've spent the money and nothing has been achieved. Don't forget, Mr. Chairman, to add the cost of the witnesses too.
So we really need to think about what we're doing here. Just because one or two people think it's a great idea to keep this agenda going--I'm totally supportive of getting to the bottom and dealing with this issue, but I'd like to see some rational process at the same time. To spend $10,000, $20,000, $30,000, or $40,000, I don't think any taxpayer would vote for that.
Liberal
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
Yes. I just want to add that I'm sure Mr. Wrzesnewskyj would have added as a friendly amendment to include Mr. Alcock, who of course was the President of the Treasury Board. Of course, the Treasury Board didn't approve these large increases to the pension outsourcing costs, so I imagine he'll accept that as a friendly amendment.