PACC Committee Meeting

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

Meeting No. 8

Monday, January 27, 2003

The Standing Committee on Public Accounts met at 3:38 p.m. this day, in Room 209, West Block, the Chair, John Williams, presiding.

Members of the Committee present: John Bryden, Odina Desrochers, Paul Forseth, Mac Harb, Gerald Keddy, Philip Mayfield, Val Meredith, Shawn Murphy, Joe Peschisolido, Beth Phinney, Alex Shepherd and John Williams.

Acting Members present: Larry Bagnell for Robert Bertrand; Tony Tirabassi for John Finlay; Roger Gaudet for Gilles-A. Perron; Judy Sgro for Sophia Leung; Raymond Simard for John Finlay; Reg Alcock for Robert Bertrand.

In attendance: From the Parliamentary Research Branch of the Library of Parliament: Brian O'Neal and Jean Dupuis, Analysts.

The Chair presented the Second Report of the Sub-Committee on Agenda and Procedure which is as follows:

The Subcommittee met via conference call on Wednesday, December 18, 2002 and agreed to make the following recommendations:

1) That the consideration of the draft report on Groupaction be referred to the Standing Committee.

2) That the Committee resume consideration of the draft report on the Human Rights Commission.

3) That a meeting be held with officials from the Department of Health concerning the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program (October 2000 AG’s Report and Report No. 10 of the Committee (37-1)).

4) That the Committee consider the following chapters from the reports of the Auditor General of Canada:

Chapter 1 of the September 2002 Report of the Auditor General on HRDC (SIN)

Chapter 4 of the September 2002 Report of the Auditor General on National Defence (NATO Training)

Chapter 2 of the December 2002 Report of the Auditor General on Fisheries and Oceans (Coast Guard)

Chapter 8 of the December 2002 Report of the Auditor General on PWGSC (Office Space)

Chapter 11 of the December 2002 Report of the Auditor General – Other Audit Observations (RCMP / Firearms).

Chapter 7 of the December 2002 Report of the Auditor General on Canadian Space Agency.

5) That consideration of Chapter 1 of the December 2002 Report of the Auditor General on First Nations be referred to the Committee.

6) That the selection of witnesses to be called during consideration of Chapter 10 of the December 2002 Report of the Auditor General on the Firearm’s Program be referred to the Standing Committee.

By a show of hands, it was agreed, - That the draft report on Groupaction be distributed to members of the committee and considered at the next sitting of the Committee: YEAS: 8; NAYS 2.

It was agreed, - That the Committee resume consideration of the draft report on the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

It was agreed, - That a meeting be held with officials on the Department of Health concerning the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program (October 2000 AG’s Report and Report No. 10 of the Committee (37-1)).

It was agreed, - That the Committee consider the following chapters from the reports of the Auditor General of Canada:

Chapter 1 of the September 2002 Report of the Auditor General on HRDC (SIN)

Chapter 4 of the September 2002 Report of the Auditor General on National Defence (NATO Training)

Chapter 2 of the December 2002 Report of the Auditor General on Fisheries and Oceans (Coast Guard)

Chapter 8 of the December 2002 Report of the Auditor General on PWGSC (Office Space)

Chapter 11 of the December 2002 Report of the Auditor General – Other Audit Observations (RCMP / Firearms).

Chapter 7 of the December 2002 Report of the Auditor General on Canadian Space Agency.

It was agreed, - That consideration of Chapter 1 of the December 2002 Report of the Auditor General on First Nations be deferred to a later date.

Shawn Murphy moved, - That the Auditor General of Canada, the Minister of Justice, the Deputy Minister of Justice, the CEO and the former CEO of the Canadian Firearms Program be invited to appear before the Committee on Chapter 10 of the December 2002 Report of the Auditor General on the Firearms Program.

And debate arising thereon,

Philip Mayfield moved, - That the motion be amended by adding Lucie Ménard-Baxter, A/Director, Contracts and Materiel Management from the Department of Justice.

And the question being put on the amendment, it was negatived by a show of hands: YEAS: 5; NAYS 7.

And the question being put on the motion, it was agreed to.

On motion of John Bryden, it was agreed, - That the President of Treasury Board be invited to appear on Chapter 10 of the December 2002 Report of the Auditor General on the Firearms Program.

On motion of Val Meredith, it was agreed, - That officials from the Office of the Auditor General, Treasury Board Secretariat and the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency appear before the Standing Committee on Public Accounts regarding the GST input tax credit and how the matter is and was reported in the Public Accounts of Canada.

At 4:23 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 4:29 p.m., the sitting resumed in camera.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(e), the Committee resumed consideration of a draft Report on a study of the Motion of Beth Phinney, M.P., dated March 19, 2002, with regard to the Government Response to the 21st Report of the Public Accounts Committee on the Canadian Human Rights Commission and the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal of February 9, 1999. (See Minutes of Proceedings of Tuesday, December 10, 2002, Meeting No. 7)

It was agreed, - That the Committee adopt the Report as the NINTH REPORT of the Committee.

It was agreed, - That pursuant to Standing Order 109, the Committee request that the Government provide a comprehensive response to this Report.

It was agreed, - That the Chair be authorized to make such grammatical and editorial changes to the Report as may be necessary without changing the substance of the Report.

It was agreed, - That the Chair table the NINTH REPORT in the House.

It was agreed, - That a Press Release be issued.

At 4:48 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

Richard Rumas




Clerk of the Committee