Evidence of meeting #42 for Public Accounts in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was last.
A recording is available from Parliament.
David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
You could do it that way, and we can do the simple math.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Joe Volpe
Shall we go ahead with the preparation? That's all I'm asking: yes or no?
I have an indication that there's going to be... Okay, there's no need for a vote.
Thank you.
Did you want to add something, Mr. Young?
Conservative
Terence Young Conservative Oakville, ON
I wanted to make a comment.
In the summer I went to Quebec City. It was the public accounts committees from the provinces and the federal government together. It was three days. What sticks in my mind is the last day. The entire last afternoon was taken up by Jeffrey Simpson, from The Globe and Mail. I guess they must have paid him. He came out and talked about how to promote public accounts committees or something to that effect, which I thought was a complete waste of time. I don't think it's appropriate for public accounts committees to talk about how to publicize public accounts committees. It's an important part of what the government does, but it's not our task. I didn't find the meetings very informative. I thought it was bureaucratically driven, and the members there played a minor role. I didn't think they dealt with the questions that the members had. In fact, “observers” was really a good description, I felt. I don't know if Mr. Christopherson agrees; he was there as well.
Before I make a decision on whether I want to support committee members going, I'm curious to know whether anybody here has been to any of these in another country and felt that it was useful and there was something to be gained from it.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Joe Volpe
Thank you, Mr. Young.
That issue was raised. I think we've dealt with it. We've asked the clerk to prepare a budget for us. The committee will look at that budget and at the alternatives that might emerge from that budget. Then the committee can determine, taking into consideration your views and the views of others, where it wants to go or not go and whether it's a good use of money or not. We can deal with it then; otherwise, we'll just be repeating the same discussion.
As I've said, I've already washed my hands of the invitation. I don't want to go.
Conservative
Terence Young Conservative Oakville, ON
Do you have any experiences to share with us from previous trips?
Liberal
Liberal
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Joe Volpe
I think we'll suspend for a couple of minutes and then we'll go on to reports.
Thank you.
[Proceedings continue in camera]
