I call the meeting to order.
Good afternoon, colleagues. This is meeting number 104 of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts for Tuesday, June 12, 2018. We are here today in consideration of the message from the Auditor General of Canada that accompanied his 2018 spring report.
I would remind all colleagues here today that we are televised, so I would encourage you all to please put your phones on silent or vibrate so there's less distraction.
We are honoured this afternoon to have Mr. Michael Wernick, Clerk of the Privy Council and secretary of the cabinet with us. As it is somewhat unprecedented for the Auditor General to write such a message, it is also unprecedented for me to open this meeting with a few words of explanation as to why the committee has requested your presence here today, Mr. Wernick.
Our focus is not primarily on the Phoenix pay system, nor is it with respect to the poor outcomes of indigenous programs. Although both are extremely important and are mentioned to great extent in his last audit, they will be subjects of future upcoming meetings. The objective of today's meeting and the objective of the Auditor General's message is “to lead to a deeper understanding and correction of the pervasive cultural problems at play” within the public service.
This is a culture that has created, in the Auditor General's opinion, “an obedient public service that fears mistakes and risk. Its ability to convey hard truths has eroded, as has the willingness of senior levels—including ministers—to hear hard truths.” This is a culture the Auditor General claims has caused and will continue to cause incomprehensible failures. It is this committee's sincere hope that this meeting today starts a process of change so that we do not experience any more “incomprehensible failures”, failures that have adversely affected so many people, failures that could have been avoided and can be avoided in the future.
We welcome you, Mr. Wernick, and I turn to you for your testimony today.