PACP Committee Meeting

The Standing Committee on Public Accounts met in camera at 11:05 a.m. this day, in Room 209, West Block, the Chair, Shawn Murphy, presiding.

It was agreed, — That the draft report, as amended, be adopted.

It was agreed, — That the report be entitled: Military Health Care - National Defence.

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

It was agreed, — That the Chair present the report to the House.

It was agreed, — That, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the Committee request that the Government table a comprehensive response to the report.

It was agreed, — That the Clerk of the Committee prepare and issue a press release following the presentation of the report in the House.

The Committee resumed consideration of a draft report.

It was agreed, — That the draft report, as amended, be adopted.

It was agreed, — That the report be entitled: Managing the Coast Guard Fleet and Marine Navigational Services - Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

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

It was agreed, — That the Chair present the report to the House.

It was agreed, — That, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the Committee request that the Government table a comprehensive response to the report.

It was agreed, — That the Clerk of the Committee prepare and issue a press release following the presentation of the report in the House.

The Chair presented the Sixth Report from the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure which read as follows:

Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts has the honour to present its SIXTH REPORT

Your Subcommittee met on Monday, April 14, 2008, to consider the business of the Committee and agreed to make the following recommendations:

1. That on May 1, 2008 the Committee hear from Kevin Page from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.; that the Committee consider Chapter 10, Management Tools and Government Commitments – Greening of Government Operations (March 2008) from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.;

2. That the Committee hold a meeting with outside experts on the role of the Parliamentary Budget Officer; and that the Chair have discretion to schedule such a meeting;

3. That on May 13, 2008 the Committee hear from Rob Wright and Wayne Wouters from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.; that the Committee hear from Sarah Beth Mintz and Hugh MacPhie from 12:00 p.m. to 12:45 p.m.; and that the Committee hear from Minister Flaherty from 12:45 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.;

4. That on June 17, 2008 the Committee consider the May 2008 Auditor General's report (Chapter to be determined);

5. That with respect to the Committee's follow-up process for government responses, the Chair send a letter to PassPort Canada seeking clarifications from their last response to the Committee;

6. That the Committee take note of Jack Stilborn's latest briefing note on the Committee's follow-up process for government responses, entitled: Departmental Answers to Questions about Government Responses (39th Parliament);

7. That the Public Accounts Committee endorse, without any financial commitment, the Canadian Comprehensive Audit Foundation's (CCAF) study entitled: Good Practices Study on Communications between Civil Servants and Legislative Committees.

Respectfully submitted,

SHAWN MURPHY

Chair

Mark Holland moved, — That the motion be amended by replacing the words of point three of the Sixth Report of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure “That on May 13, 2008 the Committee hear from Rob Wright and Wayne Wouters from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.; that the Committee hear from Sarah Beth Mintz and Hugh MacPhie from 12:00 p.m. to 12:45 p.m.; and that the Committee hear from Minister Flaherty from 12:45 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.”; with “That on May 13, 2008 the Committee hear from Rob Wright and Wayne Wouters from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.; that the Committee hear from Sarah Beth Mintz and Hugh MacPhie from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.; and that the Committee hear from Minister Flaherty from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.”.

Debate arose thereon.

The question was put on the amendment of Mark Holland and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 6; NAYS: 5.

The Sixth Report of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure, as amended, read as follows:

Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts has the honour to present its SIXTH REPORT

Your Subcommittee met on Monday, April 14, 2008, to consider the business of the Committee and agreed to make the following recommendations:

1. That on May 1, 2008 the Committee hear from Kevin Page from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.; that the Committee consider Chapter 10, Management Tools and Government Commitments – Greening of Government Operations (March 2008) from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.;

2. That the Committee hold a meeting with outside experts on the role of the Parliamentary Budget Officer; and that the Chair have discretion to schedule such a meeting;

3. That on May 13, 2008 the Committee hear from Rob Wright and Wayne Wouters from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.; that the Committee hear from Sarah Beth Mintz and Hugh MacPhie from 12:00 p.m. to 12:00 p.m.; and that the Committee hear from Minister Flaherty from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.;

4. That on June 17, 2008 the Committee consider the May 2008 Auditor General's report (Chapter to be determined);

5. That with respect to the Committee's follow-up process for government responses, the Chair send a letter to PassPort Canada seeking clarifications from their last response to the Committee;

6. That the Committee take note of Jack Stilborn's latest briefing note on the Committee's follow-up process for government responses, entitled: Departmental Answers to Questions about Government Responses (39th Parliament);

7. That the Public Accounts Committee endorse, without any financial commitment, the Canadian Comprehensive Audit Foundation's (CCAF) study entitled: Good Practices Study on Communications between Civil Servants and Legislative Committees.

The question was put on the motion, as amended, and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 6; NAYS: 5.

At 12:33 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.