Public Accounts Committee on May 1st, 2012

[Malcolm Allen, NDP, Welland, ON]

Yes. Thank you, Chair.

In the spirit of cooperation with my friend across the way, I appreciate his endeavours to bring the PBO and our witnesses here back on Thursday. I would like to amend it, though, to include that we have the AG come back next week at the earliest opportunity, which of course would be Tuesday morning, for at least an hour. I would also amend to say that if our witnesses down at the end are not completed on Thursday in the second hour, that they come back for the other hour, whether it be the first or second hour of the day.

It simply gives us some flexibility. If we're finished with all of these witnesses on Thursday, the AG would be the first hour. If not, the AG would be the second hour, and our witnesses would continue in the first hour of next Tuesday, which would be a week today.

I thank the parliamentary secretary for his overtures to make sure we have an opportunity to talk to all of the folks in full on this point.

[The Chair, NDP, David Christopherson]

All right. In that same spirit, is there a possibility that this could be a friendly amendment, Mr. Saxton? Do you see that consistent with where you are going?

[Andrew Saxton, Conservative, North Vancouver, BC]

I think part of it could be a friendly amendment. I think we would be fine with having the Auditor General come back for the first hour, as Mr. Allen has suggested. I would accept that amendment to my motion.

[The Chair, NDP, David Christopherson]

All right.

Are you good with that, Mr. Allen? We'll fold into the motion that we will do the first hour with the PBO on Thursday. The second hour will be a continuation. The following Tuesday, the first hour will be the Auditor General, and the second hour is to be determined.

[Andrew Saxton, Conservative, North Vancouver, BC]

I would recommend that we say it could be a planning session, or to be determined.

[The Chair, NDP, David Christopherson]

I'm trying to go for unanimity, and if you can leave it at that, I think that might get us close.

Colleagues, can I quickly ask if anybody has a problem with that? Does anybody need to speak to it? Can you accept that as a work plan going forward, colleagues?

Go ahead, Mr. Byrne.

[Gerry Byrne, Liberal, Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Yes, I certainly can. It sounds like a good idea. I would have liked to have even more time with this particular group of witnesses because there are some witnesses who we really didn't hear much from because of the limitation of time.

I have a motion that has already been tabled on the floor of the committee calling for the production of documents, and I ask that we deal with it after dealing with this motion. Many of these documents were actually referred to by our witnesses during the course of their testimony, such as the actual statement of operational requirements, the Public Works and Government Services statement that confirms the validity of the statement of operational requirements.

I would like to go ahead and pass this motion. I'm not going to ask for a friendly amendment to it, but as soon as we deal with this, if we could deal with my motion on the production of documents and do so in a public way, I'd appreciate it.

[The Chair, NDP, David Christopherson]

Okay.

I did recognize Monsieur Ravignat, so I will go to him before I go to you, but I will allow you that opportunity.

However, on the motion that's before us—that's your motion, Mr. Saxton, as amended through friendly discussion—let's have a quick show of hands.

All those in favour, please indicate.

(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

Monsieur Ravignat, you'd asked for the floor earlier.

That has now gone by? Thank you.

Mr. Byrne, you have the floor.

You're bringing forward your notice of motion?

[Gerry Byrne, Liberal, Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL]

Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

My notice of motion reads as follows:

That the Committee request, in electronic form, that the Department of National Defence and the Department of Public Works and Government Services provide it with the following documents:

The document that confirms the validity of the Statement of Operational Requirement.

The actual statement of Operational Requirement.

The full life-cycle cost analysis.

The Statement of Work and Performance Specification (Acquisition and in-service support).

The Bid Evaluation criteria.

The Treasury Board Submission for the F-35.

The requisition form for goods and services sent to Public Works and Government Services Canada from National Defence.

The questionnaires explaining the decision to proceed with a sole-source process for this acquisition.

The cost analysis for the infrastructure modification to operate the F-35.

The risk analysis produced by the Department of National Defence and Public Works and Government Services Canada for the acquisition of the F-35.

The cost analysis to keep the actual CF-18 operational until 2023.

The cost analysis for the phasing out of the CF-18.

The option analysis for the replacement of the CF-18; and

That the committee request this information within five calendar days.

[The Chair, NDP, David Christopherson]

Okay. Very good.

The motion's in order. It's before you. It's debatable.

Mr. Byrne, did you wish to say anything further?

[Gerry Byrne, Liberal, Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL]

No. I think, Mr. Chair, we—

[The Chair, NDP, David Christopherson]

“No” and then you start speaking.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Gerry Byrne, Liberal, Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL]

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I appreciate it very much.

[The Chair, NDP, David Christopherson]

You're welcome.

[Gerry Byrne, Liberal, Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL]

This is all information that was referred to by our committee members, so maybe just let's get on with the vote.

[The Chair, NDP, David Christopherson]

Very good. Thank you.

Is there further discussion?

Mr. Saxton.

[Andrew Saxton, Conservative, North Vancouver, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The officials here today have promised the documents that you asked for earlier today, that were asked for by the committee. I assume the chair and the clerk will work with them to gather the documents that had been asked of them earlier today.

We do not seek to redo the work of the Auditor General in this committee. We seek to study the report of the Auditor General.

Therefore, Mr. Chair, at this time I would like to move a motion to adjourn.

[The Chair, NDP, David Christopherson]

The motion's in order. It's not debatable.

Therefore, I'll ask the—

[Gerry Byrne, Liberal, Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL]

I'd like a recorded vote.

[The Chair, NDP, David Christopherson]

Yes. I was going to ask for a recorded vote myself.

Mr. Byrne has formally requested a recorded vote. I will ask the clerk to conduct a formal roll call vote on the motion to adjourn.

(Motion agreed to: yeas 7; nays 4)

By order of a vote of seven to four in the affirmative, the motion carries. Therefore, this meeting now stands adjourned.

Thanks to our guests.

We'll see you all again on Thursday.