Government Operations committee  We haven't given the president any specific advice—

Government Operations committee  In a specific way? No, not yet.

Government Operations committee  The consultants' study is complete. Now we're examining the recommendations. We're developing our own recommendations to submit them to the president.

Government Operations committee  It was PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Government Operations committee  Merci. Thank you, Madam Chair, for inviting me back today. As Mr. St-Jean has just noted in his remarks, I will be addressing the issue of accrual-based budgeting and accrual-based appropriations. In particular, I wish to elaborate on information provided to the committee by officials of the Office of the Comptroller General in recent appearances, including to provide some international perspective on this important issue.

Government Operations committee  I think the guidelines...well, it's not just guidelines; the legislative requirements are quite clear and provide restrictions. It's important, for example, in the case of Parks Canada that you asked why wouldn't the main estimates have been able to provide for this? Well, of the $53.866 million, the very first item, $23.726 million is in respect of collectively bargained salary increases, which took place after the main estimates were essentially closed.

Government Operations committee  It's a reasonable expectation. We have to balance three things. One is the government's ability to manage its overall fiscal framework, which absolutely requires a reliable forecast of what the ongoing costs of the government will be. And we do that; one of my other jobs is to provide the Department of Finance precisely that.

Government Operations committee  In terms of interim supply for 2005-2006?

Government Operations committee  That $7 billion of voted spending authority did not come to a vote.

Government Operations committee  In fact there's detailed reporting, inasmuch as the Department of Finance releases a monthly fiscal monitor within 50 days after the end of each monthly period. That's publicly available on the Department of Finance's website. You can see, by major spending category, in great detail what the spending pattern is by month.

Government Operations committee  I believe the public accounts committee will typically have a role, in terms of reviewing what we call the public accounts of Canada. Again, individual standing committees will receive the departmental performance reports, which will contain the same information plus quite a bit more in terms of explanation and performance reporting.

Government Operations committee  Actually, the President of the Treasury Board tabled in Parliament a very detailed document that gives quite a bit of detail. Of course, if further detail is requested by the committee, we'll be happy to provide it to the extent we can.

Government Operations committee  We would certainly be happy to. We certainly respond to direct questions from parliamentarians as well as questions by committee.

Government Operations committee  I think two things are relevant. First of all, it is an individual minister who's attesting, but importantly, this instrument dates back to the 1860s. Financial administration acts over the 140-year period since then have added certain kinds of uses. But since the 1890s, I believe it is, it has been considered in the Financial Administration Act that the normal core ongoing operations of government are eligible uses for Governor General's special warrants.

Government Operations committee  There is no limit as such. It is not really a first-come, first-served system since there isn't really any limit. If I am not mistaken, the 15 billion $ amount is distributed as follows : 4 billion $ spent in the 2005-2006 fiscal year, and another 11.5 billion $ to start the current fiscal year.