The Chair presented the First Report from the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure which read as follows:
The Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts has the honour to present its
FIRST REPORT
Your Subcommittee met on Tuesday May 9, 2006 and agreed to make the following recommendations :
That 48 hours’ notice be required for any substantive motion to be considered by the Committee, unless the substantive motion relates directly to business then under consideration; and that the notice of motion be filed with the Clerk of the Committee and distributed to members in both official languages before consideration is given.
That the witnesses be given five (5) minutes to make their opening statements and if they have additional information, it should be deposited with the Clerk of the Committee.
That during the questioning of witnesses the time allocated to each questioner be as follows: On the first round of questioning, eight (8) minutes to a representative of each party in the following order: Liberal, Bloc Québécois, Conservative, NDP, Liberal and Conservative, on the second round of questioning, five (5) minutes per party in the following order: Liberal, Conservative, Bloc Québécois, Conservative, NDP, Liberal and Conservative.
That the 21st Report as amended (Public Accounts of Canada 2005) of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts in the 38th Parliament be concurred in this session of Parliament and that the Chair present this as a Report to the House.
That pursuant to S.O. 109 the Committee requests a global response to this Report from the Government.
That the 22nd Report as amended (Chapter 3 of Report of the Auditor General, April 2005) of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts in the 38th Parliament be concurred in this session of Parliament and that the Chair present this as a Report to the House.
That pursuant to S.O. 109 the Committee requests a global response to this Report from the Government.
That the Committee schedule for the next 3 meetings be as follows:
May 11th: Main Estimates vote 20, under Finance and the Performance Report of the Office of the Auditor General.
May 16th: Lock-up for the Auditor General's Report (no formal meeting) Room 237-C Center Block.
May 18th: (luncheon meeting starting at 12:00): Auditor General's Report tabled May16th followed by a Subcommittee meeting to select the Chapters from the Auditor General's report that will be studied by the committee starting May 30th.
That we hear from the House of Commons Legal Counsel before the Committee further looks at comparing the testimonies before the Gomery Commission and the Public Accounts Committee.
That on an experimental basis, an informal meeting be held with the Auditor General's office and the Departmental officials concerned before a Department appears.
That one meeting with experts be dedicated to a round table on improving the effectiveness of the Public Accounts Committee.
That a proposed budget for ten (10) members and the necessary staff be prepared to permit the Committee to travel to Charlottetown from September 10, 2006 to September 12, 2006 in relation to the Twenty Seventh Conference of the Canadian Council of Public Accounts Committee.