TORONTO–Parliamentary institutions are constantly evolving. Like a meandering river, they have no fixed course. Parliamentary committees have floated in uncharted waters in recent years. Eclipsed in importance by the PMO, the PCO, Cabinet and its committees, Parliament's committees may nevertheless play a vital role in refining legislation, gleaning the expertise of policy stakeholders, scrutinizing government actions and performance, and airing citizens' views. While the influence of Cabinet committees has arguably shrunk since the 1980s, the influence and visibility of Parliamentary committees has grown dramatically. They have become more aggressive in exposing malfeasance in public administration and shaping public policy debates. They have also become more drawn into the rough-and-tumble, day-to-day, political fray.

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