Public Accounts Committee on April 23rd, 2013

[The Chair, NDP, David Christopherson]

The whole point was to give Monsieur Guimont an opportunity to provide us with what is reasonable, and so I don't think anybody's in disagreement. Monsieur Guimont's going to give it a shot, give us what he can. When we receive it, we'll see where we are. That gets us through that piece.

Next, there was another request, also by Mr. Byrne, for a broader departmental action plan, but I think we've already done it. You asked for that to be tabled, included. I think we can assume that's done pretty much now, right? It's here.

Yes, that an easy one. Consider that done.

[Daryl Kramp, Conservative, Prince Edward—Hastings, ON]

Chair, I don't consider the other one done. You said that's done. I don't believe it is.

[The Chair, NDP, David Christopherson]

The one I just mentioned now?

[Daryl Kramp, Conservative, Prince Edward—Hastings, ON]

That's correct. The one we were discussing.

[The Chair, NDP, David Christopherson]

It's the report right there that Mr. Byrne had, and it was just—

[Daryl Kramp, Conservative, Prince Edward—Hastings, ON]

No, no, the request.

[The Chair, NDP, David Christopherson]

Yes.

[Daryl Kramp, Conservative, Prince Edward—Hastings, ON]

The request. You just said that's okay as far—

[The Chair, NDP, David Christopherson]

For the one before?

[Daryl Kramp, Conservative, Prince Edward—Hastings, ON]

Yes.

[The Chair, NDP, David Christopherson]

I thought we had agreed to it.

[Daryl Kramp, Conservative, Prince Edward—Hastings, ON]

Well, no, that's my point, we don't agree to it.

[The Chair, NDP, David Christopherson]

We asked Monsieur Guimont what he could provide—

[Daryl Kramp, Conservative, Prince Edward—Hastings, ON]

No, Mr. Chair—

[The Chair, NDP, David Christopherson]

Just what is easy to provide, can he provide us with that? Then we'll take a look at it and see where we're at. That's why I asked where the disagreement is. He offered that, and I took him up on his offer.

Where we could get into a ditch is if we get it and decide...and we get into a big discussion about whether it's enough or not enough. But that battle is not here now, that may be another day. Right now we all have agreement that the deputy is going to send us what he can. That seems to me to be fairly easy.

Then we did the next one, and I have one left, and then we go to the other one. There was a question asked about where the $1 billion went. I jotted that down. I don't see anybody jumping on it, I'll let that go. The last one I want to do the same way we just did with the deputy. This is the obvious one that gets us into real trouble right away.

Madam Moffa, again, I'm going to try the same process. Would you be kind enough to send us what you will need, send us what you can? If the committee decides that they need more, and that starts to get us into security issues, there are procedures to address that. I'm not putting you on that dime right now, we're not into those constitutional waters. Like the deputy, I'm merely asking you if you can, as you offered, give us an initial response of what you can.

But just hold the caveat part, because as soon as you do that you put me into an awkward position defending the rights of members to have unfettered access to documents. So if you could also provide us with what you can, what you have, within a couple of weeks, similar to what the deputy is doing, the committee will take a look at things. Then if there's going to be a fight, we'll have the fight. This at least gets us through today, it gets some information flowing and allows us to leave on such a happy note.

I like happy notes. Happy notes work.

I'm going to grab the moment to thank our witnesses very much, in particular the Auditor General, the deputy, and all the delegations.

On behalf of my colleagues, thank you very much. We enjoy working with you and we appreciate what you do. No doubt we'll see you all again soon.

This meeting is adjourned.