Evidence of meeting #46 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was spending.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:25 p.m.
Conservative
Vic Toews Conservative Provencher, MB
While my officials search for the answer, I can say that I had occasion to be in Afghanistan the last couple of weeks. I've spoken with our troops, and our troops have an incredibly high morale. And even with the tanks—
4:25 p.m.
Conservative
Garth Turner Conservative Halton, ON
I would like to get an answer to the question about where the money's coming from, please, minister.
4:25 p.m.
Conservative
Garth Turner Conservative Halton, ON
Yes, I'm interested. My constituents would like to know. When they hear an announcement of $600 million one day, or $1 billion, people call me up and ask me, “Where's that money coming from?” I'm just asking you, sir.
4:25 p.m.
Conservative
Vic Toews Conservative Provencher, MB
Let's put it into context. Our soldiers are out there fighting on our behalf—
4:25 p.m.
Conservative
4:25 p.m.
Conservative
Vic Toews Conservative Provencher, MB
I know that you don't care about our soldiers; you've made that very clear. But let me—
4:25 p.m.
Liberal
4:25 p.m.
Conservative
4:25 p.m.
Conservative
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Vic Toews Conservative Provencher, MB
If he wants to hear an answer, I'll give him the answer. If he's not satisfied, he can ask another question, Madam Chair.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Garth Turner Conservative Halton, ON
Could you answer it, please? Where is the $650 million specifically coming from?
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Vic Toews Conservative Provencher, MB
I'm going to let my officials answer that, but I want to say that I had occasion to be in Afghanistan to speak with out troops—
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Garth Turner Conservative Halton, ON
On the next question then.
Are your officials going to answer it or not?
We have a limited time, minister. I don't care what you think about your visit to Afghanistan. I do care about the issues on the table.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Diane Marleau
Thank you very much.
We'll go on to the next questioner, which is Mr. Kramp.
April 19th, 2007 / 4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Daryl Kramp Conservative Prince Edward—Hastings, ON
Thank you, Madam Chair, and welcome to all.
I'd like to speak about a little hobby horse, the accrual accounting process. I sat on public accounts in the previous Parliament, and we listened on many occasions when the committee heard many witnesses, particularly the Auditor General, extolling the virtues of accrual accounting in appropriations.
In the previous government the recommendation went to Parliament to implement accrual accounting and no activity took place. Public accounts presented a report again, complemented as well from government ops, once again recommending the implementation of accrual accounting. I'm really pleased to see that now we have a response back from Treasury Board indicating that they are finally going to take a look at implementing accrual accounting. So I applaud Treasury Board for moving forward with that.
Can you give this committee a little bit more of a detailed response as to when, how, why, where, and to what extent you plan on pursuing the implementation of accrual accounting?
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Vic Toews Conservative Provencher, MB
Thank you very much. And I appreciate the work of the committee, as you held a series of meetings in the fall of last year, I believe it was, in respect of that particular issue. As I understood it, there were representations made by Treasury Board and there was response, I believe, to specific inquiries made. I think that response was in writing, if I'm not mistaken, on that.
In summary, in answer to your question, we have divided this into two phases. Phase one will see the development of a model of appropriations in departmental budgeting and a cost implementation plan for the model, and we propose to follow the process used for the last major revision to the estimates and set up a working group of parliamentarians, along with the officials, to cooperate in the development of the detailed model.
Phase two will be the implementation of an approved, costed, and funded model. Right now a project office is being created to manage that phase one, and the development of the phase one scoping document is under way.
Do the officials have anything to add on that?
4:30 p.m.
Secretary, Treasury Board Secretariat
I think the work that we need to do with the parliamentary committee—We have to get that launched, get our people in place. We expect that will take probably up to a year, looking towards the budget of 2008, to come up with some recommendations that then have to go, of course, to the board and cabinet for approval. We do expect there will be incremental resources required to put this in place.
The first step, which we think is a very good model, is working directly with parliamentarians, because at the end of the day they are the ones who will be very much implicated by this as a means of coming up with recommendations to move forward.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Daryl Kramp Conservative Prince Edward—Hastings, ON
Thank you.
Regarding the second question, we're pleased to see the blue ribbon panel report on the public service modernization. Truly it's a welcome document. Of course, welcoming the document is one thing, but once again the implementation process is a concern and/or at least an issue about which I would hope the Treasury Board and/or any of the officials here could shed some light.
Just as accrual accounting was reported again and again, finally we're taking some action on this. With this blue ribbon panel report, can you give us a timetable and/or the extent of the Treasury Board's action? How did you receive this report?