Public Accounts Committee on Feb. 25th, 2020

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

This is on in camera proceedings. This is just for the benefit of transparency to the public. I move:

That the committee may meet in camera only for the following purposes:

(a) to consider a draft report;

(b) to attend briefings concerning national security;

(c) to consider lists of witnesses;

(d) for any other reason, with the unanimous consent of the committee;

That all votes taken in camera, with the exception of votes regarding the consideration of draft reports, be recorded in the Minutes of Proceedings, including how each member voted when recorded votes are requested;

That any motion to sit in camera is debatable and amendable.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Mr. Kelly.

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB]

In recent history I can't even think of a circumstance under which we would move in camera.

We do meet in camera generally to discuss our work plan, notwithstanding the subcommittee on agenda. It was common practice in the previous Parliament to discuss our work program and a few other issues as a full committee. I would suggest this isn't the kind of committee where this debate about the nature of committee and the nature of in camera meetings would take place. I don't know that we need to deal with this here. The issues behind this motion are contentious at other committees.

I hope this is a committee where we have an expectation that partisan agendas and whatnot, which are a part of what we do here in Ottawa, are not done at this committee. I don't see the need for this motion at this committee. In particular, it excludes the one time this committee, with the agreement of all parties, would go in camera. This isn't a committee where the government side, with its majority, would move to go in camera and force us in camera. That never happened in the last Parliament. It's really not a concern that I have.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Mr. Fergus.

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Mr. Chair, yesterday, at the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics, a similar motion was tabled. However, some of the provisions differed from what Mr. Green is moving.

Since this motion differs from how things were done at another standing committee, can we slow down and take five minutes to read the proposal?

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Mr. Green.

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

I came up against some similar concerns in the previous committee where I moved this, and at that point I was happy to table it to give people the opportunity to figure it out. It's either important or it's not. If it's not important, then we could probably put it off until the next meeting for people to be able to digest it. It's just a standard motion I've been bringing.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

If you're okay with that, then why don't we just table it for now? If you want to bring it forward on Thursday, that will give everyone a chance to look it over.

As for the historical context from the clerk—

[The Clerk]

We can wait to do that.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Thank you very much.

I will point out we have a couple of people who have some experience here. Ms. Yip and Mr. Kelly were on this committee before. I sat on this committee back in 2004, so it's been a few years since I've been here. The rest of you are fairly new. It is great to see everyone here.

As I understand—and maybe the analyst will talk about this—in the last Parliament this committee had 70 unanimous reports. That's the spirit of camaraderie around here in the way things work. That's what I hope we can move forward on. There are not a lot of partisan points to be gained here. We're dealing with someone highly respected, the Auditor General. That's a great context to start with this committee.

Mr. Green.

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

I have before me some additional routine motions. I don't know if the other parties have them. The follow-up processes and the departmental action plans have been added, as well as the gifts to be presented to visiting delegations.

This was circulated by the clerk, I believe.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

We could look at those motions that relate specifically to public accounts.

Do you want to read them?

[The Clerk]

The first one is on the follow-up process, because it's part of the work being done by—

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

My apologies for the interruption, but wouldn't it make sense for me to read them in as actual motions, and then we can discuss them?

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Yes. That's what we were doing, but go ahead.

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

I'm just not sure a clerk can read in a motion. Can he?

[The Clerk]

I can read it; I cannot move it.

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Perfect. Please continue.

[The Clerk]

Okay, but I'll need you to move it.

That the Committee Chair and staff be authorized to:

review Government responses to recommendations made by the Committee during the 42nd Parliament;

acknowledge by letter, on the Committee’s behalf, receipt of Government responses where they respond clearly and completely to recommendations or request further information or clarification, as required;

monitor the implementation of Government commitments made in response to Committee recommendations, and request further information as required; and

report to the Committee on these activities in a timely fashion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

All right. Can I have someone move that?

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

I so move.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Mr. Fergus.

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Is it possible to get a written version of this?

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Absolutely.

[The Clerk]

You got it on February 6, with my email saying, “Welcome to the committee”.