Public Accounts Committee on Oct. 21st, 2009

[Sheila Fraser]

The idea is that the report is to be delivered to me. I would be glad to discuss with the committee how we provide it to the committee and make it public. The process was a little different the last time, as I believe I received the report at the end of 2003 and Parliament wasn't sitting. Then in February 2004, we got into a lot of other things. But we did have a hearing or a partial hearing on the report and the recommendations. I don't recall at the time that the peer review team was present for that, but should the committee wish that to be the case, we can certainly try to arrange it with the peer review team.

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

So what you're saying is that the report will be made public, and it will be available to the committee, and the committee can do what it wishes with the report at that time, including have a hearing with the lead group.

[Sheila Fraser]

That's right. And we would be glad to work with you on how we release it and when.

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

Okay.

We're pretty well at the end of the meeting. We can allow two more minutes each for Mr. Paillé, and then back to Mr. Christopherson, if he wants.

Two or three minutes, Mr. Paillé.

[Pascal-Pierre Paillé, Bloc, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

It is good to go last, since a number of questions have already been answered. There is unanimous agreement on your work, Ms. Fraser, and I congratulate you. Although I have not been a member for very long, I can see that you are doing a good job.

My question may seem a bit odd, Ms. Fraser, but I was wondering what your expectations are for this report. Do you expect that it will be positive? Are you confident that you will get high marks?

[Sheila Fraser]

I hope the report is positive. I would not want it to show that we did not adhere to the standards and practices, although, admittedly, that is possible.

However, I anticipate that it will make recommendations to improve how things are done. The benefit of having several international colleagues is that they bring their own unique experiences and perspectives to the issue. There is always something to learn.

It was important to me to undertake this review before my mandate was up; I did not want my successor to be the one to do it at the beginning of their mandate and have it be seen as a criticism of my methods. I think it is important to end my mandate on a positive note and to say that the office is in good shape or that certain improvements need to be made.

[Pascal-Pierre Paillé, Bloc, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

It is 25 minutes after the hour. I propose that we suspend for two minutes, colleagues, and then we'll resume in about two minutes' time. We'll start with the approval of the minutes from yesterday's steering committee.

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

I'd like to call the meeting back to order. There is just one housekeeping matter before we get into the report.

In the first report we will deal with chapter 5, “Passport Services”, but what I want to do, colleagues, is review and approve the minutes of the steering committee held yesterday. Those minutes have been circulated. Attached to the minutes is the draft agenda of the committee for the next two or three weeks. As you can see there, it's all self-explanatory.

Next Monday we have a one-hour meeting on interest on advance deposits and draft reports. Then we go to the NRC the following week. In the week before the break, it's draft reports.

Then, I just want to point out to members that on Tuesday, October 3, we will have the tabling of the Auditor General's fall report. That's with the normal lock-up on the morning of the briefing by the auditor, and then at two o'clock, the auditor of course will be tabling that report in Parliament. On the following day, October 4, we will have the auditor before us on all chapters in that report.

After that, it becomes a little more of a moving target, but I just want to circulate this.

Are there any questions or is there discussion on the minutes?

All in favour of their approval?

(Motion agreed to)

The minutes are approved as circulated.

Just for information purposes, I note that Mr. Lee has filed a notice of motion. That's been taken on notice. If Mr. Lee wants to pursue that, he can do so at the meeting on Monday.

The meeting will now resume in camera.

[Proceedings continue in camera]