SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 13

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
December 8, 2021 02:00PM
Context: House Hansard - 13 - Dec/8/21
Hon. Mona Fortier (President of the Treasury Board, Lib.)
  • Dec/8/21 11:17:30 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I want to thank my hon. colleague and my critic for his great words. I have said that our government has been committed to financial transparency, including for COVID-19 spending response—
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The Assistant Deputy Chair
  • Dec/8/21 11:17:47 p.m.
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The hon. member for Edmonton West.
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Mr. Kelly McCauley
  • Dec/8/21 11:17:49 p.m.
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Madam Chair, have the comptroller general, deputy receiver general and the Auditor General signed off on the public accounts yet?
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Hon. Mona Fortier
  • Dec/8/21 11:17:59 p.m.
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Madam Chair, as we have short answers tonight, I will say that our annual audited financial statements in the public accounts will be tabled this month within normal legislated timelines.
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Mr. Kelly McCauley
  • Dec/8/21 11:18:16 p.m.
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Madam Chair, have the public accounts been signed off yet by the comptroller general, deputy receiver general and the Auditor General?
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Hon. Mona Fortier
  • Dec/8/21 11:18:26 p.m.
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Madam Chair, again, as members know, the process is for the government to table the annual public accounts, and it will be done this month within normal legislated timelines.
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Mr. Kelly McCauley
  • Dec/8/21 11:18:41 p.m.
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Madam Chair, is it true that the government has reopened the public accounts to make changes to them for political gain?
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Hon. Mona Fortier
  • Dec/8/21 11:18:50 p.m.
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Madam Chair, accountability, transparency and openness are the values that I and our government work towards.
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Mr. Kelly McCauley
  • Dec/8/21 11:18:59 p.m.
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Madam Chair, this is a very straightforward question and can be answered very simply with a yes or no. Is it true that the government has reopened the public accounts to make changes to them for political gain?
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Hon. Mona Fortier
  • Dec/8/21 11:19:12 p.m.
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Madam Chair, as I said, our annual public financial reports will be tabled this month within normal legislated timelines.
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Mr. Kelly McCauley
  • Dec/8/21 11:19:23 p.m.
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Madam Chair, is it true that the public accounts were signed off on by the comptroller general, deputy receiver general and the Auditor General in the fall and then reopened to backload costs in order to make next year's budget numbers show a smaller deficit and a reduced debt-to-GDP ratio?
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Hon. Mona Fortier
  • Dec/8/21 11:19:42 p.m.
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Madam Chair, we must follow the budget process and, as I said, the monthly financial results are reported throughout the year and the “Fiscal Monitor” will be issued as planned this month.
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Mr. Kelly McCauley
  • Dec/8/21 11:19:58 p.m.
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Madam Chair, this is frightening. There is $600 billion in spending and the Liberals will not answer the simple question if the public accounts have been signed off on. Have the public accounts been reopened to have more money put in by this government?
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Hon. Mona Fortier
  • Dec/8/21 11:20:15 p.m.
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Madam Chair, we are following the budget process and the annual cycle. As I have repeated in response to several questions, our annual audited financial statements will be tabled in the Public Accounts of Canada this month—
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The Assistant Deputy Chair
  • Dec/8/21 11:20:32 p.m.
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The hon. member for Edmonton West.
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Mr. Kelly McCauley
  • Dec/8/21 11:20:37 p.m.
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Madam Chair, will the President of the Treasury Board resign her position if it turns out she has misled the House on this issue of whether the government has reopened the public accounts to add in more costs for political gain?
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Hon. Mona Fortier
  • Dec/8/21 11:20:49 p.m.
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Madam Chair, as I already said, we are following the budget process and the financial statements will be tabled this month.
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Mr. Kelly McCauley
  • Dec/8/21 11:21:00 p.m.
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Madam Chair, the public accounts are normally tabled in this House in October. It is now mid-December. What is the government hiding? Why has it not tabled the public accounts yet?
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Hon. Mona Fortier
  • Dec/8/21 11:21:10 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I have said that we will be tabling them this month within normal legislated timelines. The public accounts will be tabled this month.
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Mr. Kelly McCauley
  • Dec/8/21 11:21:24 p.m.
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Madam Chair, the timeline is in October. I have an email from the executive assistant, Treasury Board Secretariat. It is a call letter telling the departments that the departmental results reports are due October 13 to Treasury Board with a date to publish and table in the House November 2. I know that the information has been loaded into the government's database and so it is ready to publish. Why is the government hiding these reports from Canadians?
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