Speech (committee meeting)

{
    "time": "2013-11-19 11:50:00",
    "attribution": {
        "en": "Mr. Blake Richards (Wild Rose, CPC)",
        "fr": "M. Blake Richards (Wild Rose, PCC)"
    },
    "content": {
        "en": "<p data-HoCid=\"3488573\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Thanks, Mr. Chair.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3488574\" data-originallang=\"en\">This is an important topic we're discussing today, no question. Obviously transparency and accountability are very important topics. That's why we as a Conservative government have chosen to voluntarily disclose some of our expenses. Give credit to the Liberal Party for that as well. It's unfortunate that not all parties have followed that lead, but certainly it is important that we do look at this. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3488575\" data-originallang=\"en\">Having said that, I have some information here from when we heard from the clerk, Audrey O'Brien, about the current system. I just want to just go through that.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3488576\" data-originallang=\"en\">You talked about the 98.5% compliance that you saw. I know you've had a number of questions about this already, and have certainly indicated that it seems to compare quite favourably with other corporate audits or those kind of things that you've been a part of. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3488577\" data-originallang=\"en\">Having said that, Ms. O'Brien indicated to us that 21 staff are involved now in adjudicating members' expense claims, which seems to be a significant amount of resources put towards that to ensure it's done right and done thoroughly. She indicated that there were about 70,000 member payments on average in the fiscal year, and that in an average year, they also received about 20,000 calls or e-mails from members' offices. It obviously indicates there is a concerted effort on the part of members, or I'm sure at least the vast majority of members, to ensure that they're complying and that they're being thorough and doing a good job of reporting the expenses as they should be reported. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3488578\" data-originallang=\"en\">She also indicated that 4,365 regret letters were sent on average in a year to members advising about some modification that was made to an amount claimed, which obviously indicates they're doing a pretty thorough job of examining those claims. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3488579\" data-originallang=\"en\">I'll use myself as an example. Certainly we are very diligent. I have a great staff member who has a lot experience on the Hill who's very helpful in making sure my claims are done right. Of course, I'm also accused by my staff of being a bit of a micro-manager. I always ensure that I've combed through them thoroughly myself as well. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3488580\" data-originallang=\"en\">One thing I will admit is that my signature is fairly erratic, and it doesn't often look the same from one day to the next. A number of times they've come back and questioned the signature to verify that it was in fact mine. Clearly that tells me they are looking quite thoroughly at these documents, and that's a really good thing to know. It gives me comfort, certainly, to know that the job is being done as thoroughly as it is. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3488581\" data-originallang=\"en\">Let me use one other example from my own experience. I recall that one time an item that had cost $20 or $25\u2014I can't remember the exact amount\u2014had been purchased as a gift for an official visit I was making to a first nation. I guess the receipt that accompanied it didn't give sufficient detail from the store it was purchased from on what exactly it was, so that was brought back to me. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3488582\" data-originallang=\"en\">Now, I'm assuming that probably in many instances, among the 4,365 letters, it would be something of that nature. I'm wondering, from your look at things.... You mentioned the 98.5%. So in that 1.5%, would it have generally been that kind of thing? You indicated insufficient documentation and that kind of thing. I'm assuming you wouldn't have discovered anything that would be of the magnitude of some of the things we've seen in the Senate. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3488583\" data-originallang=\"en\">I guess the first question is\u2014</p>",
        "fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"3488573\" data-originallang=\"en\">Merci, monsieur le pr\u00e9sident.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3488574\" data-originallang=\"en\">Il ne fait aucun doute que nous discutons d'un sujet important aujourd'hui. Manifestement, la transparence et l'obligation de rendre compte sont des sujets de la plus haute importance. Voil\u00e0 pourquoi, au Parti conservateur, nous avons choisi de divulguer volontairement certaines de nos d\u00e9penses. Le Parti lib\u00e9ral doit aussi \u00eatre f\u00e9licit\u00e9 \u00e0 cet \u00e9gard. Il est malheureux de constater que ce ne sont pas tous les partis qui ont suivi cet exemple, mais il ne fait aucun doute qu'il est important d'\u00e9tudier la question.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3488575\" data-originallang=\"en\">Cela dit, j'ai ici des renseignements sur le syst\u00e8me actuel qui nous ont \u00e9t\u00e9 fournis par la greffi\u00e8re, Mme Audrey O'Brien. J'aimerais simplement les examiner.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3488576\" data-originallang=\"en\">Vous avez parl\u00e9 du taux de conformit\u00e9 de 98,5 % que vous avez constat\u00e9. Je sais qu'on vous a d\u00e9j\u00e0 pos\u00e9 plusieurs questions \u00e0 ce sujet et vous avez indiqu\u00e9 que ce taux se compare avantageusement aux taux observ\u00e9s lors d'autres v\u00e9rifications minist\u00e9rielles ou d'autres activit\u00e9s auxquelles vous avez particip\u00e9.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3488577\" data-originallang=\"en\">Cela dit, Mme O'Brien nous a indiqu\u00e9 qu'il y a actuellement 21 employ\u00e9s qui rendent des d\u00e9cisions sur les demandes de remboursement des d\u00e9penses des d\u00e9put\u00e9s, ce qui semble \u00eatre des ressources consid\u00e9rables consacr\u00e9es \u00e0 la v\u00e9rification de la conformit\u00e9 et de l'exactitude. Elle nous a indiqu\u00e9 que 70 000 paiements en moyenne par exercice sont vers\u00e9s aux d\u00e9put\u00e9s et que les Services financiers re\u00e7oivent en moyenne 20 000 appels et courriels chaque ann\u00e9e des bureaux des d\u00e9put\u00e9s. De toute \u00e9vidence, cela refl\u00e8te l'effort concert\u00e9 des d\u00e9put\u00e9s \u2014 ou du moins, de la majorit\u00e9 d'entre eux, j'en suis certain \u2014 pour veiller \u00e0 la conformit\u00e9, \u00e0 la pr\u00e9cision et \u00e0 la d\u00e9claration ad\u00e9quate des d\u00e9penses.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3488578\" data-originallang=\"en\">Elle a aussi indiqu\u00e9 que 4 365 lettres de rejet sont envoy\u00e9es aux d\u00e9put\u00e9s pour les aviser de modifications apport\u00e9es quant aux montants demand\u00e9s, ce qui d\u00e9montre manifestement que l'on est tr\u00e8s m\u00e9ticuleux dans l'examen de ces demandes.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3488579\" data-originallang=\"en\">Je vais utiliser mon propre exemple. Nous avons certainement fait preuve d'une tr\u00e8s grande diligence. J'ai un employ\u00e9 qui a beaucoup d'exp\u00e9rience sur la colline du Parlement et qui est d'une aide pr\u00e9cieuse pour veiller \u00e0 ce que mes r\u00e9clamations soient faites correctement. Bien entendu, mon personnel m'accuse aussi de verser dans la microgestion. Je m'assure toujours de proc\u00e9der moi-m\u00eame \u00e0 une v\u00e9rification minutieuse.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3488580\" data-originallang=\"en\">Je dois toutefois admettre que ma signature est plut\u00f4t irr\u00e9guli\u00e8re; souvent, elle varie d'une journ\u00e9e \u00e0 l'autre. On est venu me voir plusieurs fois pour savoir si c'\u00e9tait bel et bien la mienne. De toute \u00e9vidence, cela m'indique que ces documents sont examin\u00e9s rigoureusement, ce qui est tr\u00e8s bon \u00e0 savoir. Il va sans dire que je suis r\u00e9confort\u00e9 de voir que le travail est fait avec une telle rigueur.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3488581\" data-originallang=\"en\">Permettez-moi d'utiliser un autre exemple tir\u00e9 de ma propre exp\u00e9rience. Je me souviens de la fois o\u00f9 j'avais achet\u00e9 au prix de 20 ou 25 $ \u2014 j'ai oubli\u00e9 le montant exact \u2014 un article destin\u00e9 \u00e0 \u00eatre offert en cadeau \u00e0 l'occasion d'une visite officielle aupr\u00e8s d'une Premi\u00e8re Nation. Je suppose que le re\u00e7u qui m'a \u00e9t\u00e9 donn\u00e9 ne donnait pas assez de d\u00e9tails sur le commerce o\u00f9 l'article avait \u00e9t\u00e9 achet\u00e9, car il m'a \u00e9t\u00e9 retourn\u00e9.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3488582\" data-originallang=\"en\">Cela dit, je pr\u00e9sume qu'il s'agirait de quelque chose de cette nature pour beaucoup de cas parmi les 4 365 lettres. Je me demande si, de votre point de vue... Vous avez parl\u00e9 de 98,5 %. Donc, dans ce 1,5 %, s'agirait-il de choses de ce genre, en g\u00e9n\u00e9ral? Vous avez parl\u00e9 de documents insuffisants, notamment. Je suppose que vous n'avez rien d\u00e9couvert d'une aussi grande ampleur que ce que nous avons vu au S\u00e9nat.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3488583\" data-originallang=\"en\">Je crois que la premi\u00e8re question est...</p>"
    },
    "url": "/committees/house-affairs/41-2/6/blake-richards-1/",
    "politician_url": "/politicians/blake-richards/",
    "politician_membership_url": "/politicians/memberships/1173/",
    "procedural": false,
    "source_id": "8138199",
    "document_url": "/committees/house-affairs/41-2/6/",
    "related": {
        "document_speeches_url": "/speeches/?document=%2Fcommittees%2Fhouse-affairs%2F41-2%2F6%2F"
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}