Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
National Finance

Issue 18 - Minutes of Proceedings - May 9, 2012 (evening meeting)

OTTAWA, Wednesday, May 9, 2012
(44)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on National Finance met this day, at 6:45 p.m., in room 9, Victoria Building, the chair, the Honourable Senator Joseph A. Day, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Buth, Callbeck, Day, Eaton, Gerstein, Mercer, Nancy Ruth, Peterson, Ringuette, Runciman and Smith (Saurel) (11).

Other senator present: The Honourable Senator McCoy (1).

In attendance: Édison Roy-César and Sylvain Fleury, Analysts, Parliamentary Information and Research Service, Library of Parliament.

Also in attendance: The official reporters of the Senate.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Tuesday, February 28, 2012, the committee continued its examination of the expenditures set out in the Main Estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2013. (For complete text of the order of reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue No. 13.)

WITNESSES:

Environment Canada:

Andrea Lyon, Associate Deputy Minister;

Carol Najm, Assistant Deputy Minister, Finance Branch;

Michael Keenan, Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Policy Branch.

Parks Canada:

Alan Latourelle, Chief Executive Officer.

Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency:

Elaine Feldman, President.

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada:

Nadir Patel, Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Financial Officer;

Robert Dufresne, Director General, Financial Resource Planning and Management Bureau;

Andrew Stirling, Director General, Locally Engaged Staff Services.

Ms. Lyon, Mr. Latourelle and Ms. Feldman each made a statement and, together with Ms. Najm and Mr. Keenan, answered questions.

At 7:52 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 7:57 p.m., the committee resumed.

Mr. Patel made a statement and, together with Mr. Dufresne and Mr. Stirling, answered questions.

At 8:58 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Jodi Turner

Clerk of the Committee