PACP Committee News Release
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Standing Committee on Public Accounts |
HOUSE OF COMMONS CHAMBRE DES COMMUNES OTTAWA, CANADA K1A 0A6 |
Comité permanent des comptes publics |
For immediate release
NEWS RELEASE
Passport Canada's service must improve: Committee Report
Ottawa, March 05, 2008 -
Passport Canada failed Canadians during the recent surge in passport applications and must do better, according to a report of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts tabled in the House of Commons today by Chair Shawn Murphy, MP.
The Office of the Auditor General conducted a follow-up audit of Passport Canada in 2007 and found overall satisfactory progress. However, the audit did find continued weaknesses in several areas; most significantly, Passport Canada’s local offices did not have formal contingency plans to deal with an unanticipated surge in passport applications.
The Committee was deeply disappointed that Passport Canada was not better prepared to deal with the recent surge in passport applications related to the United State’s Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. What proved to be a nightmare for many Canadians should not have happened.
“Canadians depend upon reliable service from Passport Canada,” said Mr. Murphy. “It is vital that they plan so that this doesn’t happen again.
” The Committee intends to monitor the situation and recommended that Passport Canada provide to the Committee its plan to deal with any future surges in passport applications.
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