Public Accounts committee  We'd be happy to do that. It falls within Bill Matthews' office as comptroller general. I think Bill would be happy to walk you through that, Mr. Albas.

Public Accounts committee  Yes, it's non-verbal communication.

Public Accounts committee  It's a very important part of it, but it's certainly not the entirety. I think it's important to note that the Auditor General did not audit departmental security practices. They didn't audit the specific actions being taken to ensure that security in all those important areas that I mentioned are being done.

Public Accounts committee  Of those departments covered by the Government of Canada's security policy, that's correct.

Public Accounts committee  All of us will do all we can to answer your questions, Mr. Woodworth.

Public Accounts committee  Yes. It is important that all departments and agencies have a clear sense of the overall risks that their departments are meeting, that they are ensuring that actions against those risks align with the priorities of their departments. They ensure that they have the appropriate internal governance and overall planning and processes within their departments to do what's needed to ensure the security, to ensure such things as information is properly secured, to ensure they have such things as the appropriate business continuity plans, and the right kind of physical security and cybersecurity.

Public Accounts committee  They're an evergreen document I think is the best way to put this. It's important always in all areas of management, but most particularly in areas of security, that you keep up to date with those issues before you. It's best to describe them as an ongoing evergreen document. Deputy heads have responsibility within their organizations to ensure that the planning under the policy on government security is undertaken and that those plans are kept up to date.

Public Accounts committee  No, it doesn't mean that. At that particular time the approval by deputy heads against their departmental plans was found to exist in about 50% of the departments covered. Currently, much closer to 80% of departments have their plans either approved or in a state of maturity within their departments, and fully 64% of deputies have signed off on them.

Public Accounts committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. We too are delighted to be here and to help the committee in any way we can with its important work. I'm particularly pleased to be here to speak to the Auditor General's recently tabled report on required reporting by federal organizations. I'm joined by Bill Matthews, the comptroller general of Canada, and Rita Whittle who is the executive director of security and identity management in our office of the chief information officer branch at the Treasury Board Secretariat.