Evidence of meeting #36 for Public Accounts in the 39th Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was classified.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Deputy Minister, Department of National Defence
The practice of dumpster diving, Mr. Chairman? Apparently it has become a sort of full-time profession for some people.
I don't actually mean to be humourous. I'm not sure I understood the question.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Shawn Murphy
What are the circumstances of this? Do people do this just to try to find things from the government? Have you run into it before in your career? I just find it a little odd that people would be rooting through garbage.
Deputy Minister, Department of National Defence
I have not, but apparently—and perhaps you're aware—shortly after the discovery and then, I think a week later, the discovery of blueprints for, I believe, an Agriculture Canada building, there actually was talk that people would be doing some hiring of dumpster divers to see what else they could find.
But no, it was new to me, Mr. Chairman.
NDP
David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
I have a point of order. My understanding is that these were in the garbage, on the street, out in the open, with National Defence logos and words clearly shown. This wasn't somebody doing dumpster diving. This was something that was thrown out in the garbage and left on the street. Somebody was walking by, saw it, looked at it, and that led to today.
Let's keep this on the facts.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Shawn Murphy
It's probably not relevant anyway.
That concludes the rounds, colleagues. I'm going to invite the auditor, Mr. Fonberg, and Mr. Nicholls to make closing remarks, if they have any.
Auditor General of Canada, Office of the Auditor General of Canada
I'd just like to thank the committee again for their interest in this report. We are very pleased that Defence Construction Canada and the Department of National Defence are taking this seriously and have developed action plans to address the concerns raised in the audit.
Deputy Minister, Department of National Defence
I would just say, Mr. Chairman, that as always the Auditor General's reports are illuminating and elucidating and result in not just action but I think absolutely constructive actions being taken.
I would say that I think her report has helped to open our eyes to the front ends of these processes and the issue of end use, and to deliberation around end use at the front end of the classification process. I thank her for that and I thank the committee for its time today.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Shawn Murphy
On behalf of the committee, I want to thank you all for your comments, but before we adjourn, Mr. Williams has a point of order, I believe.
Conservative
John Williams Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB
Yes, thank you, Mr. Chairman. While we have been holding the Department of National Defence and our Canadian Forces to task and account this morning, I think it's good that we put on the record our appreciation for our Canadian Forces as they fight a very difficult situation in Afghanistan.
We want them to know that we are behind them 100%, even though we put you on the spot today. Therefore, I would ask our Vice Chief of Defence Staff, Mr. Natynczyk, if he has any way that he can do so, to communicate to the forces in Afghanistan and elsewhere around the world who are putting their lives on line to defend Canada that we here in the Parliament of Canada support them very much.
Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff, Department of National Defence
Thanks very much, sir. We appreciate it.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Shawn Murphy
Thank you, Mr. Williams, for those comments.
At this point I'm going to adjourn the meeting. I want to remind members of the committee that you are invited, not for a committee meeting, but to stay around for an informal meeting in camera with the Ugandan delegation.
The meeting is adjourned.