Evidence of meeting #16 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chairman.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:10 p.m.
Privacy Commissioner, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Well, I'm looking for the correct word. We were given the money that was approved by the parliamentary panel last fall, which is the money that is now in the main estimates, so we are spending at an increased level because, for example, we are supposed to be hiring 25 new employees this year.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
I don't want to talk about that. I want to know why we're spending $1 million in the first six months of this fiscal year. That's all I want to know.
4:10 p.m.
Privacy Commissioner, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
If I may continue, Mr. Chairman, in order to fulfill the objectives that we put forward and for which we were given an increased level of funding, we have to have people to do this. There is a great difficulty now in hiring--
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
4:10 p.m.
Privacy Commissioner, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
It's, for example, to finish carrying out our reorganization in terms of management structures and personnel policies. We have to have what's called a whole suite of personnel policies that were not there. So each of these policies, be it be work at home or using the office computers and so on, has to be developed. Some of them are for an accountant to help corporate services. They're all for different things, because we don't have the employees and we can't hire them fast enough to be able to do them through the employees.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
Don't misunderstand me; I respect the work that you do. But I just look at a budget of over $16 million, and at management consultant, $1 million for the first six months of this fiscal year. You're saying, well, we had to retain management consultants because we didn't have the staff. I don't know where else you can go on that. Is that your answer? Is that why we have the $1 million?
4:10 p.m.
Privacy Commissioner, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Maybe the director of corporate services can add something to that.
4:10 p.m.
Director General, Corporate Services and Comptroller, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
I've looked at the blues for the Ethics Commissioner's presentation, and I recognize that there's a reference to their website for additional information.
Unlike the Ethics Commissioner--
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
4:10 p.m.
Director General, Corporate Services and Comptroller, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
No, in our case, what you're seeing in terms of proactive disclosure as related to contracting is a Treasury Board policy that indicates that we're supposed to proactively disclose all contracts issued over $10,000, so that's the result of what you're look at.
In theory, the office has an operating budget for salaries for 2006-07 of close to $10 million and has an “other” operating budget of $4.8 million.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
Mr. Pulcine, I'm only trying to find out what we're getting for $1 million for the first six months of this fiscal year. That's all I'm asking.
4:10 p.m.
Director General, Corporate Services and Comptroller, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Theoretically, we could be proactively disclosing contracts up to $4.8 million. So the question in some ways is bigger than the $1 million question.
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Tom Wappel
I'm sorry, Mr. Pulcine, I don't quite understand your answer there. If you have to disclose all contracts over $10,000, then you have to disclose all contracts over $10,000, period.
4:10 p.m.
Director General, Corporate Services and Comptroller, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
That's right.
November 8th, 2006 / 4:10 p.m.
Director General, Corporate Services and Comptroller, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Our budget has an “other” operating component of $4.8 million, most of which will be subject to proactive disclosure. Included in there would be travel, hospitality, and contracts awarded over $10,000. For example--
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
I want to interrupt. I will be asking you questions on travel. Right now I'm on management consulting and trying to figure out what we're getting for $1 million. That's all I'm asking.
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Tom Wappel
Mr. Tilson's time is up, but what is the answer to the question? What did you get for the $1 million contract or $1 million in contracts, whatever it is?
4:10 p.m.
Privacy Commissioner, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Would the chairman like us to go over the disclosure of contracts for the second quarter? Would he like us to go down the list, and for all of those that are management consulting, say what in fact it was?
4:15 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Tom Wappel
Perhaps we can do it this way. I believe Mr. Tilson specifically mentioned a $1 million figure for the first six months. Can you look at that $1 million for the first six months and tell us any that are over $100,000 and what you're getting for it?
4:15 p.m.
Privacy Commissioner, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
The only ones I see, Mr. Chairman, that are over $100,000--and there are two of them--
4:15 p.m.
Conservative
David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
Mr. Chairman, since I started this, I don't even care about that. I could just pin the tail on the donkey. I could go down the list and just pick any one, and that would satisfy me. Let's just do that.