Chapter 6: the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Pdf 98Kb)
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Chapter 6 The Standing Committee on Public Accounts Role of the Committee Appointment and Composition of the Committee The Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Com- mittee) is empowered to review and report to the Members of the Committee are typically appointed Legislative Assembly its observations, opinions by a motion of the Legislature. The number of Chapter 6 and recommendations on reports from the Auditor members from any given political party reflects General and on the Public Accounts. These reports that party’s representation in the Legislative are deemed to have been permanently referred Assembly. All members except the Chair may vote to the Committee as they become available. The on motions, while the Chair votes only to break a Committee examines, assesses and reports to the tie. The Committee is normally established for the Legislative Assembly on a number of issues, includ- duration of the Parliament, from the opening of its ing the economy and efficiency of government and first session immediately following a general elec- broader-public-sector operations, and the effective- tion to its dissolution. ness of programs in achieving their objectives. In accordance with the Standing Orders of Under sections 16 and 17 of the Auditor General the Legislative Assembly, the Committee at the Act, the Committee may also request that the Aud- time of our last Annual Report was appointed on itor General examine any matter in respect of the September 9, 2013 with the following members: Public Accounts or undertake a special assignment Norm Miller, Chair, Progressive Conservative on its behalf. Toby Barrett, Vice-chair, Progressive Conservative The Committee typically holds a number of Lorenzo Berardinetti, Liberal hearings throughout the year relating to mat- France Gélinas, New Democrat ters raised in our Annual Report or in our special Helena Jaczek, Liberal reports and presents its observations and recom- Bill Mauro, Liberal mendations to the Legislative Assembly. Phil McNeely, Liberal Jerry Ouellette, Progressive Conservative Jagmeet Singh, New Democrat Committee Membership was revised by a motion on October 10, 2013 that replaced Jerry Ouellette with John O’Toole effective October 11, 2013, and Bill Mauro with Soo Wong effective April 1, 2014. 557 558 2014 Annual Report of the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario At the time the House dissolved for the June 2014 Committee Procedures and Ontario election, Committee membership was as Operations follows: The Committee may meet weekly when the Legisla- Norm Miller, Chair, Progressive Conservative tive Assembly is sitting, and, with the approval of Toby Barrett, Vice-chair, Progressive Conservative the House, at any other time of its choosing. All Lorenzo Berardinetti, Liberal meetings are open to the public except for those France Gélinas, New Democrat dealing with the Committee’s agenda and the Helena Jaczek, Liberal preparation of its reports. All public Committee Phil McNeely, Liberal proceedings are recorded in Hansard, the official John O’Toole, Progressive Conservative verbatim report of government debates, speeches Jagmeet Singh, New Democrat and other Legislative Assembly proceedings. Soo Wong, Liberal The Committee identifies matters of interest (Note: Frank Klees, a Progressive Conservative, from our Annual Report and our special reports regularly served as a substitute member.) and conducts hearings on them. It typically reviews Following the June 2014 election of a majority reports from the value-for-money chapter of our Liberal Government, agreement was reached on the Annual Report. Normally, each of the three political Committee’s membership in July 2014. In accord- parties annually selects three audits or other sec- ance with the Standing Orders of the Legislative tions from our Annual Report for Committee review. Chapter 6 Assembly, the new Committee was appointed on At each hearing, the Auditor General, senior July 16, 2014 with the following members: staff from her Office and a Research Officer from Ernie Hardeman, Chair, Progressive Conservative the Legislative Research Service brief the Com- Lisa MacLeod, Vice-chair, Progressive Conservative mittee on the applicable section from our Report. Han Dong, Liberal A briefing package is prepared by the Research John Fraser, Liberal Officer that includes the responses of the relevant Percy Hatfield, New Democrat ministry, Crown agency or broader-public-sector Harinder Malhi, Liberal organization that was the subject of the audit or Julia Munro, Progressive Conservative review. The Committee typically requests senior Arthur Potts, Liberal officials from the auditee(s) to appear at the hear- Lou Rinaldi, Liberal ings and respond to the Committee’s questions. The Committee resumed meetings on Because our Annual Report deals with operational, October 22, 2014. administrative and financial rather than policy mat- ters, ministers are rarely asked to attend. Once the Auditor General’s Advisory Role Committee’s hearings are completed, the Research with the Committee Officer prepares a draft report pursuant to the Com- mittee’s instructions. The Committee reports on its In accordance with section 16 of the Auditor Gen- conclusions and makes recommendations to the eral Act, the Auditor General, often accompanied Legislative Assembly. by senior staff, attends all Committee meetings to The Clerk of the Committee annually also assist with its reviews and hearings relating to our requests those auditees that were not selected for Annual Report, Ontario’s Public Accounts and any hearings to provide the Committee with an update special reports issued by our Office. of the actions taken to address our recommenda- tions and other concerns raised in our reports. The Standing Committee on Public Accounts 559 Meetings Held Committee reports typically include recommen- dations and request that management of the Min- The Committee met 18 times between October 1, istry, agency or broader-public-sector organization 2013 and April 30, 2014, and the Committee com- provide the Committee Clerk with responses within menced fall meetings on October 22, 2014. Topics a stipulated time frame. Our Office reviews these addressed at these meetings included the unfunded recommendations and responses, and we take them liability of the Workplace Safety and Insurance into consideration in any subsequent follow-up sec- Board, the long-term care home placement process tion or audits of that operational area. in Ontario, the education of aboriginal students The Committee completed the Ornge Air and our March 2012 Special Report, Ornge Air Ambulance and Related Services: Summary Report Ambulance and Related Services. The majority of in May 2014. The report was not tabled before the these meetings included hearings in which govern- dissolution of the House for the June election. On ment and other witnesses were called to testify October 22, 2014, the new Committee that was before the Committee and respond to questions appointed after the election passed a motion to regarding the Ornge Air Ambulance report. Motions table the report in the Legislative Assembly before were also passed requesting that our Office conduct the end of 2014. additional special work, including reviews of Win- ter Road Maintenance Contracts, Community Care Access Centres, Teachers Collective Agreements Canadian Council of Public Chapter 6 and Pan Am/Parapan Am Games Security Costs. Accounts Committees The Canadian Council of Public Accounts Commit- Reports of the Committee tees (CCPAC) consists of delegates from federal, provincial and territorial public accounts committees The Committee issues reports and letters on its from across Canada. CCPAC holds a joint annual work for tabling in the Legislative Assembly. These conference with the Canadian Council of Legislative reports and letters summarize the information Auditors to discuss issues of mutual interest. gathered by the Committee during its meetings and The 35th annual conference was hosted by include the Committee’s comments and recommen- Newfoundland and Labrador in St. John’s from dations. Once tabled, all committee reports and let- August 10 to 12, 2014. ters are publicly available through the Clerk of the Committee or online at www.ontla.on.ca. .