Mandate
The mandate of this Committee
is to examine all matters relating to the mandate, management and operation
of the Department of National Defence as well as any issue referred to it
by the House of Commons. As is the case for other committees of the House
of Commons, the powers, membership, and activities of this Committee are
governed by Chapter
13 of the Standing Orders of
the House of Commons. Thus, the Committee is empowered to review the program
and policy objectives of the department within its mandate, its success
in meeting these objectives, its planned expenditures, and the law
or laws that guide its activities.
Much of this review is done on a regular basis, for example, when
the Main Estimates outlining departmental spending for each fiscal year are
presented to Parliament. The Committee can also carry out its review whenever
it considers this necessary such as when Canadian military personnel are
deployed during an international crisis. It can report its views to the House
of Commons on all these matters. Its opinions and recommendations are based
on the information gathered during meetings with ministers, departmental
officials, independent experts, and anyone else it wishes to invite. The
Standing Orders provide for a response from the Government to the views and
recommendations expressed in each of its reports.
The Committee can also
examine and enquire into all matters referred to it by the House of Commons.
Any bill creating or amending legislation related to the activities of the
Department of National Defence can be referred to the Committee for review
after it has been tabled in the House. The Committee can review the new legislation
and report it back to the House of Commons with or without amendments. The National
Defence Act governs all the various elements involved in the operation
of the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces, including
the military justice system. Bills amending this act can be referred to the
Committee just like those modifying the Canadian Forces Superannuation
Act and other legislation concerning military personnel. Legislation
concerning the Department of Veterans Affairs and veterans pension and other
benefits is reviewed by the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs. The Committee
can also review Orders in Council appointing individuals to non-judicial
posts related to the mandate of the two departments after they have been
tabled in the House of Commons and referred to it.
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