LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA
THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC ACCOUNTS
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
LOCATION – Winnipeg, Manitoba
CHAIRPERSON – Mr. Leonard Derkach (Russell)
VICE-CHAIRPERSON – Mr. Gregory Dewar (Selkirk)
ATTENDANCE – 10 QUORUM – 6
Members of the Committee present:
Ms. Blady, Mr. Borotsik, Ms. Braun, Messrs. Derkach, Dewar, Hawranik, Lamoureux, Martindale, Ms. Selby, Mrs. Stefanson
MATTERS UNDER CONSIDERATION:
Auditor General's Report, Examination of the Crocus Investment Fund, May 2005
* * *
Mr. Chairperson: I'd like to call this meeting to order, ladies and gentlemen, the meeting–the Standing Committee on Public Accounts.
This meeting has been called in order to consider the Auditor General's Report of the Examination of the Crocus Investment Fund dated May 1st–May 2005.
Prior to proceeding with the business tonight, I would like to inform the committee that the motion moved by Mr. Borotsik on October 21st, 2009, is no longer valid as the Auditor General has removed herself from conducting the audit, and, therefore, I believe, this concludes the matter.
So, I also want to inform the public and committee that there was an error made in the notice of the meeting. The error was one where the witness who was supposed to be invited to witness tonight was the Deputy Minister for Finance, and, inadvertently, the invitation for the witness position went to Minister Bjornson.
So Mr. Bjornson has prepared himself to answer many complex questions tonight, but because of the rule change in the way that PAC conducts its business, the witnesses that are to be called before PAC are the deputy ministers of various departments.
In our closed session meeting it was agreed then that we should not proceed until such time the proper notice is given to the deputy minister to be able to appear before this committee.
So now I ask the committee as to what the will of the committee is and how we should proceed.
Mr. Rick Borotsik (Brandon West): I would move adjournment, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Chairperson: Thank you. It has been moved that this committee should adjourn.
Are there–I'm sorry?
An Honourable Member: Well, if I could speak to the motion–
Mr. Chairperson: Mr. Martindale.
Mr. Doug Martindale (Burrows): If I could speak to that motion, we agree with that, and because we have been talking about agenda items in the future, and I guess it would be our common understanding that that meeting would be March 3rd, and that we would consider the Crocus report at that time. Is that correct?
Mr. Chairperson: Yes, that is correct, Mr. Martindale, but officially the meeting has to be called by the House leader, the Government House Leader I believe it is, and we certainly will send that message along to the Government House Leader that it is the PAC's will to have a meeting on March 3rd, at which time Crocus, the Crocus Investment Fund will be one of the items on the agenda.
An Honourable Member: Perfect. Thank you.
An Honourable Member: Question.
Mr. Chairperson: Are we ready for the question then?
Some Honourable Members: Question.
Mr. Chairperson: Question? Shall the–I'm sorry.
Mr. Martindale: Is it understood that the minister will also be a witness?
Mr. Chairperson: No, that is not understood, Mr. Martindale. According to our practice, the witness for the meeting is the deputy minister. The minister may attend with the deputy minister–that has always been the case–but the witness for the meeting is the deputy minister of the department. Okay?
Back to the–the notice of motion will go out to the minister and it will go out to the deputy minister. The witness for the meeting will be the deputy minister. Okay?
Any other comments?
An Honourable Member: No.
Mr. Chairperson: Is it agreed that the committee should rise?
Some Honourable Members: Rise.
Mr. Chairperson: Committee rise, then. Thank you very much.
The hour being 7:11, committee rise.
COMMITTEE ROSE AT: 7:11 p.m.