Government Operations Committee on May 10th, 2010

[François Guimont]

Thank you for the question.

First, West Block will be emptied this fall sometime in October.

Second, members will be going to La Promenade building. It is operational, and I encourage all of you to tour La Promenade building to see the quality of the work that has been done there.

With La Promenade building, the committee rooms we have in that building, and the committee rooms that will be operational in the photography gallery close to the Château Laurier , we will have the equivalent of what the West Block offers. The lease we have at the photography gallery has allowed us to accelerate the West Block renovations by almost four years.

Instead of taking a two-step process in doing the West Block, which would have been really challenging, we'll be able to do the West Block in one shot. So when the West Block is sealed down and being worked on, people will be dealing with La Promenade, La Promenade committee rooms, and the photography museum committee rooms for operational reasons.

I mentioned earlier that the kitchen that used to be in the West Block is now operational. The West Block will be available to do what we have to do. That will be a fairly long-term project. If I remember, it will probably span five years, plus or minus. It will be a substantial renovation. It's probably the most deteriorated of our buildings, which is why we are starting there.

We will follow up with the East Block and then do the Centre Block. That's why we call it a long-term vision over 20 to 25 years, with five-year segments so that we can readjust plans if need be. But that's the sequence in the short term for the West Block.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Thank you very much, and thank you for being here.

I just want to remind committee members that--

[Meili Faille, Bloc, Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC]

Madam Chair, I would not necessarily want to ask the Deputy Minister a question. However, as I recall, the Deputy Minister has held the position since June 2007. The CGI contract that he told me was not on his watch dates from December 2007. You could perhaps give us further details.

[François Guimont]

Madam Chair, I could look to see whether there was a transition period for that contract. I have to admit that...

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Okay.

[François Guimont]

If I am able to find the information, I will send it to you within a reasonable time.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Okay. Fine. So that's a request for information.

I just want to remind committee members that we have three major departments that we have to look at the estimates for: the Treasury Board, PCO, and PWGSC. The committee is not obliged to go through and accept it, because by May 31 it is deemed to be accepted.

You have received from the clerk a page like this. I'd like to do block voting. I wonder if the committee can spare one minute to do block acceptance of the estimates.

Is it okay by the committee? Thank you.

To the witnesses, thank you for being here. You are now free to go.

I'll take the first block, which deals with Canadian Heritage. It's part of our mandate to look at Canadian Heritage. These are votes 105, 110, 115, and 120.

If you're trying to figure out what pages these are on, they will be on your third page.

They're all in order: $28,588,824; $3,100,250.75; $1,229,127.75; and $411,000.

CANADIAN HERITAGE Public Service Commission Vote 105--Program expenditures..........$28,588,824 Public Service Labour Relations Board Vote 110--Program expenditures..........$3,100,250.75 Public Service Staffing Tribunal Vote 115--Program expenditures..........$1,229,127.75 Registry of the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Tribunal Vote 120--Program expenditures..........$411,000

Shall these votes carry?

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

On division.

(Votes 105, 110, 115, and 120 agreed to on division)

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Thank you.

The next one is the Governor General, and that's the first vote. It's in the amount of $4,275,959.

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR GENERAL Vote 1--Program expenditures...........$4,275,959

Shall that vote carry?

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

On division.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

On division, yes.

(Vote 1 agreed to on division)

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

The second vote is the Parliament of Canada and the Senate for $14,872,587.50.

PARLIAMENT OF CANADA THE SENATE Vote 1--Program expenditures..........$14,872,587.50

Shall the vote carry?

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

On division.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Thank you.

(Vote 1 agreed to on division)

So the Privy Council votes are for $32,256,693; $1,543,206; $6,588,467; and $236,250.

PRIVY COUNCIL Department Vote 1--Program expenditures.........$32,256,693.75 Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat Vote 5--Program expenditures..........$1,543,206.50 Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board Vote 10--Program expenditures..........$6,588,467 Public Appointments Commission Secretariat Vote 25--Program expenditures..........$236,250

Shall the Privy Council Office votes be carried?

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

On division.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

On division, thank you.

(Votes 1, 5, 10, and 25 agreed to on division)

Public Works and Government Services is on pages 1 and 2, I think, in the amounts of $575,186,384 and $112,855,937.

PUBLIC WORKS AND GOVERNMENT SERVICES Vote 1--Operating expenditures..........$575,186,384.75 Vote 5--Capital expenditures..........$112,855,937

Shall those votes be carried?

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

On division.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Thank you.

(Votes 1 and 5 agreed to on division)

The rest is Treasury Board for $59 million; $687 million; $1,553,750; $555,948,377; $300,000,000; $125,000,000; $14,053,511; and $1,508,250.

TREASURY BOARD Secretariat Vote 1--Program expenditures...........$59,147,761.25 Vote 5--Government contingencies.........$687,500,000 Vote 10--Government-wide initiatives..........$1,553,750 Vote 20--Public service insurance..........$555,948,377.75 Vote 25--Operating budget carry forward..........$300,000,000 Vote 30--Paylist requirements..........$125,000,000 Canada School of Public Service Vote 35--Program expenditures..........$14,053,511 Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner Vote 45--Program expenditures..........$1,508,250

Shall those be carried?

[An hon. member]

On division.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

(Votes 1, 5, 10, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 45 agreed to on division)

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Shall I report the main estimates to the House?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Thank you very much.

The meeting is adjourned.