Evidence of meeting #44 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 million.
A recording is available from Parliament.
May 3rd, 2007 / 10:40 a.m.
Director General, Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Services Branch, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Stationery is in there, but also you have magazines and periodicals, books and publications.
10:40 a.m.
Liberal
10:40 a.m.
Director General, Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Services Branch, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Nothing. We don't pay for the utilities.
10:40 a.m.
Director General, Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Services Branch, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
It's a standard label: utilities, materials, and supplies. It's a label for what's called a “standard object”, as in item 7. It's used across the board.
So if we had responsibility for utilities, which we don't, it would be here.
10:40 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Tom Wappel
Then in fact for all materials and supplies, it's a quarter of a million dollars.
10:40 a.m.
Director General, Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Services Branch, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
That's right.
10:40 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Tom Wappel
Madam Commissioner, I'm asking you, do you consider that a reasonable expense, a quarter of a million dollars, for materials and supplies for the year?
10:40 a.m.
Privacy Commissioner, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
I'll answer that question as best I can.
I think we're cutting down on our use of materials such as paper. We're going to electronic means, not only for costs but in terms of the environment.
An office like ours, which deals in the knowledge economy, has to make sure that its employees are up to date with all the knowledge necessary to do their jobs. One thing we've done is to reorganize our documentation centre to make sure that we do in fact have all the information we need. Given the state of personal information issues and so on, these sources can be worldwide, outside of Canada and so on.
So yes, that seems to me reasonable.
10:40 a.m.
Conservative
Patricia Davidson Conservative Sarnia—Lambton, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I'd like to thank the commissioner very much for the presentation--
10:40 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Tom Wappel
Can I have a little bit less chat around the table, so that we can hear Ms. Davidson and the answer?
10:45 a.m.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
It is 10:45, and there is another item on the agenda, and it happens to be my motion. I would like us to take the time to deal with it. There are only 15 minutes left, and in my opinion, a motion should be given that much time at least.
10:45 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Tom Wappel
Well, I appreciate your bringing to our attention the time, but that's not a point of order.
We do have someone who wants to ask a question. They have five minutes to do so. There is one other person on the list, that being Mr. Tilson. I can't do anything about that.
The first item is the estimates. As long as there are people who are interested in asking questions, we'll deal with item 1.
Ms. Davidson.
10:45 a.m.
Liberal
Jim Peterson Liberal Willowdale, ON
How this will unravel is to me quite evident.
We will be dealing with the current witnesses until 11 o'clock. There will be no time to bring a motion because we will dissolve automatically at 11 o'clock.
It would be my suggestion that rather than go through that facade, we adjourn right now. Then members can get on to other things.
It's just recognizing the inevitable.
10:45 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Tom Wappel
Again, that's not a point of order.
I remind the committee that we had agreed to provide time to ask the commissioner about her estimates. There are people who are interested in asking the commissioner about her estimates.
I think that's a reasonable thing. We only do this once a year. I think we should get on with it and stop wasting time talking about debating.
Madam Davidson....
On a point of order, Mr. Vincent.
10:45 a.m.
Bloc
Robert Vincent Bloc Shefford, QC
Listen carefully, so that things are clear and we don't have to repeat them 3, 4 or 10 times. People are not entitled to leave in a rush because it is 11 o'clock. There has to be a vote in order to adjourn the meeting. The clerk can tell me whether I am right or not. That's the first point.
The second point is that you knew that a motion was to be presented and discussed. You've already seen it, since it had been distributed. Yet, you disregarded this.
We will need to talk about the rules and procedures that apply. Here, Mr. Wappel's rules and procedures apply, whereas we should be following the Standing Orders of the House of Commons. We must comply with the Standing Orders. I want the clerk to get involved and to remind us how we need to proceed.
Thank you.
10:45 a.m.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for giving me the floor.
All too often, when I introduce a motion, Mr. Tilson, on the other side of the table, takes the floor and filibusters by monopolizing the time until the end of the meeting.
I have consulted specialists, particularly staff at my whip's office. They told me that this was not an acceptable way of proceeding, that this did not comply with the Standing Orders applicable to committees. If Mr. Tilson wants to speak for 20 minutes, he may do so, but when the time comes—