The Chair called Vote 1 under Office of the Auditor General.

Michael Ferguson made a statement and, with Sylvain Ricard, Ronald Bergin and Susan Seally, answered questions.

Vote 1 under Office of the Auditor General carried.

ORDERED, — That the Chair report Vote 1, less the amount voted in Interim Supply, under Office of the Auditor General, to the House.

At 10:15 a.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 10:22 a.m., the sitting resumed in camera.

It was agreed, — That the Third Report from the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure, which read as follows, be concurred in:

Your Subcommittee met on Monday, May 9, 2016, to consider the business of the Committee and agreed to make the following recommendations:

That the Clerk of the Committee make the necessary arrangements for a dinner meeting on Thursday, May 12, 2016 with Mr. Denis Desautels.

That the Clerk of the Committee be authorized to purchase an appropriate gift to be presented to visiting delegations, and that the Chair report it to the Committee.

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(g), the Committee undertake a study on the Public Accounts of Canada for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015; and that witnesses be invited before the Committee.

That, in relation to the annual conference of the Canadian Council of Public Accounts Committees, the proposed budget in the amount of $28,799.60, for the Committee’s travel to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, in August 2016, be adopted.

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(g), the Committee hold a briefing session on two different subjects; the first on the issue of Contempt of Parliament with the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel, and the second on the Public Accounts with the Canadian Comprehensive Auditing Foundation (CCAF).

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(g), the Committee undertake the study of Report 1, Venture Capital Action Plan, of the Spring 2016 Reports of the Auditor General of Canada; and that witnesses be invited before the Committee.

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(g), the Committee undertake the study of Report 2, Detecting and Preventing Fraud in the Citizenship Program, of the Spring 2016 Reports of the Auditor General of Canada; and that witnesses be invited before the Committee.

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(g), the Committee undertake the study of Report 4, Drug Benefits—Veterans Affairs Canada, of the Spring 2016 Reports of the Auditor General of Canada; and that witnesses be invited before the Committee.

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(g), the Committee undertake the study of Report 5, Canadian Army Reserve—National Defence, of the Spring 2016 Reports of the Auditor General of Canada; and that witnesses be invited before the Committee.

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(g), the Committee undertake the study of Via Rail Canada Inc. of the Special Examination Reports of the Spring 2016 Reports of the Auditor General of Canada; and that witnesses be invited before the Committee.

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(g), the Committee undertake a study on the Audit Report for the Office of the Auditor General for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015; and that witnesses be invited before the Committee.

That the routine motion regarding the action plans, adopted on February 16, 2016, be rescinded and replaced with:

That any organization that has been subject to a performance audit by the Office of the Auditor General of Canada, provide a detailed action plan to address the audit recommendations which have been agreed to - including specific actions, timelines for their completion and responsible individuals - to the Public Accounts Committee and the Office of the Auditor General of Canada within six months of the audit being tabled in the House of Commons;

- That organizations that are invited to appear before the Public Accounts Committee to discuss the findings of an audit should, when feasible, provide an action plan to the Committee prior to the hearing; and

- That action plans and progress reports received by the Committee be published on the Committee’s website.

On motion of Alexandra Mendès, it was agreed, — That, in relation to Orders of Reference from the House respecting Bills,

(a) the Clerk of the Committee shall, upon the Committee receiving such an Order of Reference, write to each Member who is not a member of a caucus represented on the Committee to invite those Members to file with the Clerk of the Committee, in both official languages, any amendments to the Bill, which is the subject of the said Order, which they would suggest that the Committee consider;

(b) suggested amendments filed, pursuant to paragraph (a), at least 48 hours prior to the start of clause-by-clause consideration of the Bill to which the amendments relate shall be deemed to be proposed during the said consideration, provided that the Committee may, by motion, vary this deadline in respect of a given Bill; and

(c) during the clause-by-clause consideration of a Bill, the Chair shall allow a Member who filed suggested amendments, pursuant to paragraph (a), an opportunity to make brief representations in support of them.