THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON AUDIT AND OVERSIGHT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
OTTAWA, Wednesday, June 25, 2025
(1)
[English]
The Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight met this day at 10:15 a.m., in room B30, Senate of Canada Building, for the purpose of its organization, pursuant to rule 12-13.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Deacon (Nova Scotia), Klyne, Loffreda and Wells (Newfoundland and Labrador) (4).
Participating in the meeting: Lindsay McGlashan and Rosemonde Samedy, analysts, Library of Parliament; Amipal Manchanda, Chief Audit Executive, Office of the Chief Audit Executive; Sabryna Lemieux, Communications Officer, Communications, Broadcasting and Publications Directorate; Martine Willox, Legislative Clerk, Committees Directorate.
The clerk of the committee presided over the election of the chair.
The Honourable Senator Wells (Newfoundland and Labrador) moved that the Honourable Senator Klyne do take the chair of this committee.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The clerk invited the Honourable Senator Klyne to take the chair.
The chair presided over the election of the deputy chairs.
The Honourable Senator Loffreda moved that the Honourable Senator Wells (Newfoundland and Labrador) be deputy chair of this committee.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Loffreda moved that the Honourable Senator Deacon (Nova Scotia) be deputy chair of this committee.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Deacon (Nova Scotia) moved that the Honourable Senator Loffreda be deputy chair of this committee.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Wells (Newfoundland and Labrador) moved:
That, the chair, in consultation with the deputy chairs, be empowered to make decisions on behalf of the committee with respect to its agenda, to invite witnesses, and to schedule hearings; and
That, for substantive issues related to the mandate of the committee that are not of a merely administrative or routine nature, the chair shall not convene meetings nor take decisions until the external members have been appointed by the Senate.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Wells (Newfoundland and Labrador) moved that the committee publish its proceedings.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Loffreda moved:
That the committee ask the Library of Parliament to assign analysts to the committee;
That the chair and deputy chairs be authorized to retain the services of experts as may be required by the work of the committee; and
That the chair, on behalf of the committee, direct the research staff in the preparation of studies, analyses, summaries, and draft reports.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Deacon (Nova Scotia) moved:
That, pursuant to section 6(1), chapter 3:05 of the Senate Administrative Rules, authority to commit funds be conferred individually on the chair, the deputy chairs, and the clerk of the committee;
That, pursuant to section 7(1), chapter 3:05 of the Senate Administrative Rules, authority for certifying accounts payable by the committee be conferred individually on the chair, the deputy chairs, and the clerk of the committee; and
That, notwithstanding the foregoing, in cases related to consultants and personnel services, the authority to commit funds and certify accounts be conferred jointly on the chair and deputy chairs.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Wells (Newfoundland and Labrador) moved that the committee empower the chair and deputy chairs to designate, as required, one or more members of the committee and/or such staff as may be necessary to travel on assignment on behalf of the committee.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Deacon (Nova Scotia) moved:
That the chair and deputy chairs be authorized to:
1) determine whether any member of the committee is on "official business" for the purposes of paragraph 8(3)(a) of the Senators Attendance Policy, published in the Journals of the Senate on Wednesday, June 3, 1998; and
2) consider any member of the committee to be on "official business" if that member is: (a) attending an event or meeting related to the work of the committee; or (b) making a presentation related to the work of the committee; and
That the chair and deputy chairs report at the earliest opportunity any decisions taken with respect to the designation of members of the committee travelling on committee business.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Loffreda moved that, pursuant to the Senate guidelines for witness expenses, the committee may reimburse reasonable expenses related to the appearance of one witness per organization upon application, but that the chair be authorized to approve expenses of a second witness from the same organization should there be exceptional circumstances.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Loffreda moved:
That the chair and deputy chairs be empowered to direct communications officer(s) assigned to the committee in the development of communications plans and products where appropriate and to request the services of the Senate Communications, Broadcasting and Publications Directorate for the purposes of the promotion of their work; and
That the chair and deputy chairs be empowered to allow coverage by electronic media of the committee's public proceedings with the least possible disruption of its proceedings, at its discretion.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Wells (Newfoundland and Labrador) moved:
That in camera transcripts and documents be kept with the clerk for consultation by committee members; and
That no records be destroyed without authorization from the committee.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Deacon (Nova Scotia) moved that each committee member be allowed to have one staff person present at in camera meetings.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
At 10:27 a.m., the committee suspended.
At 10:28 a.m., pursuant to rule 12-16(1)(d), the committee resumed in camera to discuss a draft report on the nomination of the external members.
It was agreed that the draft report be adopted in both official languages and that the chair be empowered to approve the final version of the report, in both official languages, taking into consideration this meeting’s discussions, and with any necessary editorial, grammatical and translation changes required.
It was agreed that the chair be authorized to present the report to the Senate, in both official languages, at the earliest opportunity.
Pursuant to rule 12-16(1)(d), the committee discussed in camera a draft agenda (future business).
It was agreed that the chair be authorized to seek the authority of the Senate to cause that the papers and evidence received and taken and the work accomplished or produced by the Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight during the First Session of the Forty-fourth Parliament and by the Intersessional Authority be referred to the committee.
At 10:31 a.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Jodi Turner
Clerk of the Committee