Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I am very pleased to be here to discuss chapter three of the Auditor General's recent report on Rehabilitating the Parliament Buildings.
Mr. Chair, I would like to thank you and your fellow committee members for taking the time to visit some of the project sites last week. These visits present wonderful opportunities to get a first-hand view of the important work my department is carrying out on your behalf. Mr. Chair, I would like to underline how much it meant to my staff to have the opportunity to showcase these important projects to committee members.
During the tour, we responded to a broad array of questions and I found it be a rich exchange. As a follow-up we made a commitment to respond to two specific questions. Mr. Chair, I would like to take the opportunity to table the responses before the committee today.
As the official custodian of the heritage buildings and grounds on Parliament Hill, Public Works and Government Services Canada is responsible for their care, upkeep, structural integrity and appearance; the management of major renovations and new construction; and the provision of general-purpose accommodation. It carries out these functions in consultation with its parliamentary partners, that is, with the Senate, the House of Commons and the Library of Parliament.
As you know, under the long-term vision and plan for the parliamentary precinct, a multi-faceted program of work has been undertaken to upgrade and restore the three main Parliament buildings.
Our initial five-year program of work from 2007–12 first focused on creating interim accommodation to allow the main parliamentary buildings to be emptied and their functions to be relocated off the Hill, to carry out urgent repairs. I am pleased to report that 13 of the 15 projects in this phase are complete, and the remaining two will be finished in 2010. All of these projects were completed on budget and on schedule, and several have realized substantial time and cost savings. As a result, we will be ready to empty the West Block this summer, four years ahead of schedule. Furthermore, full rehabilitation of the southeast tower was completed in the summer of 2008, and rehabilitation of the north towers is now under way.
To keep deterioration in check, the long-term vision and plan also include a preventative maintenance program called the recapitalization program. It addresses critical elements that can't wait until major renovation projects begin. This will allow future work to be undertaken efficiently and cost-effectively.
We were very pleased that the Auditor General's report recognized Public Works and Government Services' strong results in project management and program delivery. The AG report noted that project management practices are generally sound. The department places due importance on protecting heritage character. The department has a reasonable approach to collecting information on building conditions. A process is in place to collect information on client needs. The impact on the environment is taken into account. The department has a costing methodology in place. The rehabilitation projects benefit from lessons learned.
The Auditor General also noted that the federal heritage buildings review office has commended the West Block project as showing great respect for the heritage character of the building.
While the AG recognized the good work we do in Public Works and Government Services, she also drew attention to the issue of governance.
The department acknowledges the Auditor General's recommendation regarding where responsibility and accountability for the Parliament buildings should rest. The department takes this issue seriously.
First, I have assigned a senior assistant deputy minister in Public Works to lead this important file. That was done last Friday. Second, we are studying and engaging other countries and provinces to get an understanding of their governance models. This analysis was drawn from a review of literature, as well as discussions and meetings between the department and, for instance, the Sergeant at Arms in the United Kingdom, and more recently, the architect of the Capitol in the United States.
Third, Madame Aloisi, the new assistant deputy minister responsible for governance, will be engaging central agencies and the Department of Justice over the summer to discuss governance matters in detail. This will inform the development of options and discussions with parliamentary partners this coming fall and winter.
In closing, I feel we are at a crossroads for setting a long-term path for the rehabilitation of the parliamentary precinct.
I will be pleased to answer your questions.