FAAE Committee Report

Recommendation 1:

The Government of Canada should publicly recommit to the independence and continuing role of Rights and Democracy in providing critical support for human rights and democratic development around the world.

Recommendation 2:

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada provide Rights and Democracy with consolidated funding for the next five years at the level of the current annual appropriation for each of the five years. At the end of this five-year period, the government should review whether the provision of further multi-year and consolidated funding for Rights and Democracy is appropriate.

Recommendation 3:

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada strongly encourage The Board of Directors of Rights and Democracy to invite the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) to perform a performance audit of the organization. In the future, the government could consider replacing the requirement for a five-year review by the Department of Foreign Affairs under Rights and Democracy’s statute with the requirement for a performance audit by the OAG every five years.

Recommendation 4:

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada strongly encourage The Board of Directors of Rights and Democracy to amend its by-laws so that all contracts above $10,000 in value are automatically subject to calls for tender.

Recommendation 5:

The Committee also recommends that the Government of Canada strongly encourage Rights and Democracy to publish all contracts greater than $2,000 on its public website.

Recommendation 6:

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada strongly encourage Rights and Democracy to publish on its public website information on the travel and hospitality expenses incurred by all Board Members during each quarter.

Recommendation 7:

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada consider amending the International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development Act to include a clause stipulating that appointments to the Board of Directors should have regard for expertise in international human rights and democratic development and knowledge of corporate governance.

Recommendation 8:

The Committee recommends that Treasury Board Secretariat and Privy Council Office should collaborate to offer enhanced training on board governance to all members of the Board of Rights and Democracy. This training should be mandatory for all existing board members and an early requirement for all new appointments to the Board.

Recommendation 9:

That the Privy Council Office remove the Board’s evaluation (and all documents related to the evaluation) of Rémy Beauregard from all files.

Recommendation 10:

That the current Board of Rights and Democracy issue an apology to Mr. Beauregard`s family for any statements damaging his reputation.

Recommendation 11:

That the Government of Canada reconstitute the Board, with a new Chair.

Recommendation 12:

That the Government of Canada authorize the new Board to review the appointment of Mr. Latulippe.

Recommendation 13:

That the new Board should be appointed in consultation with the opposition parties to ensure an arms-length, non-partisan Board (see process below).

Recommendation 14:

That the appointment process of board members should be amended to permit a 30 sitting-day review period so that the Foreign Affairs committee can study the candidacies of all those submitted by the government to sit on the Board.

Recommendation 15:

That the Parliamentary Act should be amended to require the president, the chairman of the Board and senior management to appear annually in front of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development to ensure the transparency and accountability of the organization.

Recommendation 16:

That both Deloitte & Touche and the Auditor General should appear before the Committee to discuss their final audit reports of Rights and Democracy.