Evidence of meeting #43 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 report.
A recording is available from Parliament.
10:55 a.m.
Information Commissioner, Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada
As you will see on page 1 of the document we gave committee members, the total budget for legal services is $776,000. That includes, for the year just ended, some $62,000 for outside legal services.
10:55 a.m.
Bloc
Robert Vincent Bloc Shefford, QC
That is just for mounting a defence against other departments. There is reference to legal fees of $800,000. In the end, you are giving each other work.
10:55 a.m.
Information Commissioner, Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada
No, that is the entire budget envelope for our program when we have to go to Federal Court or negotiate—
10:55 a.m.
Bloc
Robert Vincent Bloc Shefford, QC
It's part of your overall budget.
I imagine that when the Crown takes you to court over one of your decisions, that costs you money. How much of the annual budget do you spend on your own defence when the Crown takes legal action against you?
10:55 a.m.
Information Commissioner, Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada
You should put that question to—
10:55 a.m.
Bloc
Robert Vincent Bloc Shefford, QC
The question has been asked and I would like to get an answer later.
10:55 a.m.
Information Commissioner, Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada
It comes out of each department's envelope or out of the Department of Justice's budget.
10:55 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Tom Wappel
Merci.
Colleagues, just as a reminder, there's no meeting on Tuesday. And if anyone has any suggestions for witnesses on our study of identity theft, please advise the clerk.
Next Thursday, a week from today, we will have before us the Privacy Commissioner on her estimates.
Mr. Stanton.
10:55 a.m.
Conservative
Bruce Stanton Conservative Simcoe North, ON
I have a question, Mr. Chair. In this estimates process, do we have to do a motion to adopt or vote or anything of that nature?
10:55 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Tom Wappel
Yes, we do, and we can deal with that next week.
On behalf of the committee, I'd like to thank Commissioner Marleau and his team for being here and for the forthright answers to the questions.
The meeting is adjourned.