I call the meeting to order.
On behalf of all members of the committee, I want to extend to everyone a very warm welcome. This meeting is going to be in two parts. The first part is to deal with an ongoing issue that we're dealing with regarding a motion adopted by the committee on Tuesday, May 12 concerning audio recordings relating to the study of chapter 3, “Contracting for Professional Services--Public Works and Government Services Canada”. It relates to the committee's request for the production of 18 audio cassettes, or tape cassettes, in their unaltered state. It was originally agreed to, and then it is my understanding of the process that the agreement was denied because it was felt to be an access to information request. Then when that was resolved, the answer came back that it was a Privacy Act situation, and it would have to be altered to satisfy the provisions of the Privacy Act.
It's certainly my opinion--and it is one shared by many others in the parliamentary world--that statutes of general application do not affect the powers or the privileges of Parliament, and that Parliament, and of course committees of Parliament, are entitled to seek the production of persons, papers, or records, and that would be in their unaltered state. Now there will always be issues of confidentiality. There are issues of state secrets. There is the issue of it not being appropriate for us to receive them, or if we do receive them that we receive them in secret, or in camera, but I don't see that being the case here. We've had a number of legal opinions given to the committee, but before we went any further on this particular issue, we thought it would be appropriate and prudent for us to hear from the solicitors advising the Department of Public Works and Government Services as to the basis of their opinion, and also the precedent that they're relying on to deny Parliament its request for the documents or the paper of the records in question.
First of all, I'll introduce the witnesses. I understand the opening comments are going to be delivered by the associate deputy minister. We again welcome Daphne Meredith, associate deputy minister, Public Works and Government Services. She's accompanied by Caroline Weber, assistant deputy minister, corporate services, policy and communications branch; Ellen Stensholt, senior general counsel; and Christine Payant, director general, product management. Thank you again for coming.
Madame Faille.