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
  • 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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Hon. Mona Fortier
  • Dec/8/21 11:21:50 p.m.
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Madam Chair, it is the same process as under the previous government, the same high accounting standards, and we will table the public accounts this month.
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Mr. Kelly McCauley
  • Dec/8/21 11:22:02 p.m.
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Madam Chair, the question is about the departmental results reports. The TBS website states that the departmental results reports “inform parliamentarians and Canadians of the results achieved by government organizations for Canadians.” We have an internal email that the departmental results were finalized and submitted to government on November 2, but the government has not tabled them yet. Why is it hiding this information from Canadians? Why is there a lack of transparency?
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Hon. Mona Fortier
  • Dec/8/21 11:22:34 p.m.
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Madam Chair, again, monthly financial results are reported throughout the year in the “Fiscal Monitor”, and departments provide quarterly financial reporting. We will also table the departmental results reports when they are ready.
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Mr. Kelly McCauley
  • Dec/8/21 11:22:54 p.m.
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Madam Chair, the departmental results reports are ready. From the government's own internal emails, they were ready November 2 and sent to the Treasury Board. The Information Commissioner, Caroline Maynard, has blamed the government's failure regarding the access to information system on the “culture of secrecy” that exists. What is the average number of days for completing an ATIP?
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Hon. Mona Fortier
  • Dec/8/21 11:23:19 p.m.
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Madam Chair, as we know, we are reviewing the information. The ATIP review is happening right now and we will present a report shortly.
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Mr. Kelly McCauley
  • Dec/8/21 11:23:34 p.m.
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Madam Chair, the minister has staff here right in front of her. I am sure they can look at that information and get back to us, and I will ask the question again. What is the legislated number of days allowed for answering an ATIP?
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Hon. Mona Fortier
  • Dec/8/21 11:23:46 p.m.
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Madam Chair, the government remains committed to maintaining the openness and transparency of government during this challenging time. In budget 2021, we committed significant new funding to improve and review—
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