On Parliament Hill

As a busy summer of festivals, parades and community events draws to an end, I look forward to the opportunity to return to Ottawa. Although I enjoy meeting constituents and spending as much time as possible in our riding, serving in Parliament allows me to represent the residents of Provencher in our nation’s capital.

During the previous session, I was assigned the Public Accounts Committee and the Canadian Heritage Committee.

The Public Accounts Committee reviews the federal government’s consolidated financial statements and attempts to identify financial shortcomings of the government in light of issues raised in the Auditor General’s report. The committee then makes recommendations to the government for improvements in spending practices and focuses on:

• the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of government administration;
• the quality of administrative practices in the delivery of federal programs;
• government’s accountability to Parliament with regard to federal spending.

The Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, on the other hand, has the power to review and report on the policies, programs and expenditure plans of the Department of Canadian Heritage. This incorporates most of the agencies, tribunals and Crown corporations that fall under the department’s purview including the CBC, CRTC, National Film Board and the Canadian Museum of Human Rights.

I appreciated the opportunity to serve on each committee and I look forward to the responsibilities that will be assigned to me in this new session. It is an honour to serve as your Member of Parliament and I will continue to work hard to represent Provencher in Ottawa.