Mr. Speaker, I certainly did not want us to run out of speakers towards at the end, and since I saw no one else who wished to speak, I thought I would take this opportunity to put to my colleague some questions about the motion before us today.
We talked about a lot of things, I mean all kinds of things, but it doest not change the fact that we have before us a motion of about 1,000 words that just calls on the government, and I quote:
- to demonstrate its commitment to accountability and to the efficient and effective use of public funds by reporting to the House, no later than the first week of June each year, what measures have been taken-
to review the deficiencies in various departments.
Does our colleague know that, according to current parliamentary procedure, we do have a framework within which we are able to undertake every year a complete review of the budget estimates of every department, particularly as, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), any parliamentary committee can undertake a detailed study on any matter, without asking anyone's permission, as long as the committee does not travel outside the national capital region?
Third, if expenditures are incurred, the public accounts committee is enpowered to examine all previous expenditures, including the report of the Auditor General.
I did not want to miss this opportunity to raise the following question: Are the members opposite trying to do what the members from the Bloc did yesterday, that is, create even more duplication and overlap, contrary to what they are supposedly advocating?