Legislative Assembly of Ontario

The committee met at 1400 in room 151.

Election of Chair

The Clerk of the Committee (Ms. Tanzima Khan): Good afternoon, honourable members. Welcome to the first meeting of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts in the 43rd Parliament. My name is Tanzima Khan, and I’m the Clerk of this committee.

Before we begin today, it is my duty to call upon you to elect a Chair. Before I ask for nominations, I would like to bring your attention to standing order 119(b), which indicates that “the Chair of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts shall be a member of the party forming the official opposition.” With that said, are there any nominations? Madame Gélinas.

M^me France Gélinas: I would like to nominate MPP Rakocevic to be Chair of the committee.

The Clerk of the Committee (Ms. Tanzima Khan): MPP Rakocevic, do you accept that nomination?

Mr. Tom Rakocevic: I accept the nomination.

The Clerk of the Committee (Ms. Tanzima Khan): Are there any further nominations? No? There being no further nominations, MPP Rakocevic, you’re duly elected Chair. I would like to welcome you as the Chair.

The Chair (Mr. Tom Rakocevic): I thank the members for nominating and selecting me as your Chair. It is an honour, and I appreciate your confidence. I look forward to working with all of you as Chair.

Election of Vice-Chair

The Chair (Mr. Tom Rakocevic): We will now move to our next item of business, the appointment of a Vice-Chair. Before asking for any motions, I would like to remind the honourable members of standing order 119(d), which notes, “When there are two recognized parties ... where the Chair is a member of a recognized party in opposition to the government, the Vice-Chair shall be a member of the party forming the government.”

Are there any motions? Mr. Bouma.

Mr. Will Bouma: Thank you, Chair. Through you: I move that Ms. Skelly be appointed as Vice-Chair of the committee.

The Chair (Mr. Tom Rakocevic): Any debate? Are members ready to vote, seeing that there is no debate? All those in favour? It looks unanimous. MPP Skelly is now Vice-Chair of the committee. Congratulations to her.

Appointment of subcommittee

The Chair (Mr. Tom Rakocevic): The next item of business: It is now my duty to entertain a motion for appointment of the subcommittee on committee business. Are there any motions? MPP Vaugeois.

Ms. Lise Vaugeois: I move that Madame Gélinas be appointed as the official—

Interjection.

Ms. Lise Vaugeois: Sorry; not yet?

The Chair (Mr. Tom Rakocevic): MPP Bouma.

Mr. Will Bouma: Thank you, Chair. Through you: I move that a subcommittee on committee business be appointed to meet from time to time at the call of the Chair, or at the request of any member thereof, to consider and report to the committee on the business of the committee;

That the presence of all members of the subcommittee is necessary to constitute a meeting; and

That the subcommittee be composed of the following members: the Chair as Chair, Mr. McCarthy and Madame Gélinas; and

That substitution be permitted on the subcommittee.

The Chair (Mr. Tom Rakocevic): Debate on the motion? No? Are the members ready to vote? All those in favour, please raise your hand. It’s unanimous. Congratulations. Thank you, everyone.

We will now move into closed session for a briefing by committee staff and the Auditor General. We will recess for a few minutes before beginning.

The committee recessed at 1406 and later continued in closed session.

STANDING COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC ACCOUNTS

Chair / Président

Mr. Tom Rakocevic (Humber River–Black Creek ND)

Vice-Chair / Vice-Présidente

Ms. Donna Skelly (Flamborough–Glanbrook PC)

Mr. Will Bouma (Brantford–Brant PC)

Mr. Rick Byers (Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound PC)

M^me Lucille Collard (Ottawa–Vanier L)

Mr. Stephen Crawford (Oakville PC)

Mr. Rudy Cuzzetto (Mississauga–Lakeshore PC)

M^me France Gélinas (Nickel Belt ND)

Mr. Logan Kanapathi (Markham–Thornhill PC)

Mr. Todd J. McCarthy (Durham PC)

Mr. Tom Rakocevic (Humber River–Black Creek ND)

Ms. Donna Skelly (Flamborough–Glanbrook PC)

Ms. Laura Smith (Thornhill PC)

Substitutions / Membres remplaçants

Mr. Mike Harris (Kitchener–Conestoga PC)

Also taking part / Autres participants et participantes

Ms. Lise Vaugeois (Thunder Bay–Superior North / Thunder Bay–Supérieur-Nord ND)

Clerk / Greffière

Ms. Tanzima Khan

Staff / Personnel

Ms. Erica Simmons, research officer,
Research Services