Thank you for being here.
Earlier we had the CPA talking about the accrual accounting, the estimates process, etc. What we're trying to achieve really as parliamentarians is how to make the three pillars—the budget, the estimates and the public accounts—more simplified and transparent, because when you look at the estimates—the main estimates or the supplementary estimates—that our committee is asked to approve, we cannot follow the audit trail really. We do not know where it goes to and how it ends up in the budget. You have indicated that the estimates show $250 billion and the budget is $317 billion.
The minister has asked that the estimates and the budget process be on the same cycle, but I'm not sure whether he wants it on an accrual basis.
What are some of the problems the departments see in accrual accounting? Why would they not adopt something that is so simple? For an accountant, it's simple.