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 j

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

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. De

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 wi

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 th

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

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

Public Accounts committee  It stands in the category of a large department and agency. Its department security plan has been signed off by its deputy head, yes.

Public Accounts committee  No. It's a very good question, Mr. Allen. The Treasury Board Secretariat is concerned as well about movement. We've been working with departments consistently. Nancy indicated that there's been consistent follow-up, and we've taken a number of other measures to try and support

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, indeed. I think, as I mentioned, a core principle of the foundation framework is ensuring that issue of proportionality, that you tailor not just the reporting requirements but all requirements to the risk and to the factors within departments. We're very much building that

Public Accounts committee  That's right.

Public Accounts committee  Yes.

Public Accounts committee  That's a terribly important question, Mr. Giguère. Nancy might have other things to add to this. At no time do I want to suggest that any effort at reducing a reporting burden should put at jeopardy the important requirements to mitigate risks, to ensure that we have the appropr