Thank you, Chair.
Thank you to the witnesses.
My first question is to the Treasury Board about the document we received that documents the Auditor General's recommendations and then the departmental response. I want to refer to this, the first two columns. It reads:
The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat should improve its guidance on the management and reporting of horizontal initiatives to clarify roles and responsibilities for lead and partner departments and agencies responsible for reporting accurately and completely on horizontal initiatives; clarify guidance for lead and partner departments and agencies reporting a consolidated view of progress, results, and costs for initiatives over the years; and clarify the requirements of a financial costing framework for horizontal initiatives.
The departmental response was quite interesting when I read the words, and I'll read it to you. It said, “Agreed”. Then it goes on to a fairly lengthy narrative after the word “Agreed”. It reads, “The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat will update its guidance on the managing and reporting of horizontal initiatives...”. This is where I want to ask for some clarification. The next words are, “as appropriate”.
It puts in a condition that the Auditor General did not put, which is appropriateness, and then, “to clarify the expectations for the lead and partner departments and agencies involved in horizontal initiatives.” I'll end it there because there's a quite lengthy narrative that goes on beyond that.
It appeared to me when I read this—and I'm asking you in a forthright way—that the Auditor General's recommendations were pretty clear, and you agreed to them, but then there was the need to, I suppose, clarify the conditions under which the Treasury Board Secretariat would do these things. I find that to be somewhat of a rewrite of what the Auditor General had recommended be accomplished.
Am I correct in my interpretation of the narrative you provided after you agreed that these things should be done?