Evidence of meeting #27 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 39th Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was inquiry.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Director, Corporate Management, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
It's 50 positions filled at maximum salary.
Conservative
Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
Nil. I mean, we're into the year already.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
So why are you asking for that kind of money if you actually don't think you can spend it?
Director, Corporate Management, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
That was asked for last fiscal year. Just to explain, when that request was made for the main estimates last August, at that point that was their best prediction.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
So when you came back for the supplementary estimates last time, for the $675,000, what was that spent on?
Director, Corporate Management, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
Actually, as Madam Dawson mentioned, we'll probably lapse that money.
Director, Corporate Management, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
We won't use it.
Conservative
Director, Corporate Management, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
Exactly.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
But it's still built into this year's budget. Is that correct?
Director, Corporate Management, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
It is.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
So based on what you've just told me, I should not expect to see a supplementary estimate (A) or (B) from you then. Is that correct?
Director, Corporate Management, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
Absolutely. That is a correct conclusion.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
I have a fundamental disagreement with supplementary estimates (A) and (B) to begin with. So you're confident that what you're asking for today is what you'll need for the year, and maybe you've added a little mush room just in case?
Director, Corporate Management, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
We're confident that we're not going to come back and ask for additional funding.
Conservative
Simon Coakeley Deputy Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
If I could just put a caveat on that last comment, though, that's assuming steady state. As Mr. Martin was asking earlier, if there were more requests for inquiries, those could, depending on the nature of an inquiry, be more expensive. If we were to be swamped with 20 tomorrow, that dynamic would change.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
But if something unique came forward, you'd come back to see us.
Deputy Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
Yes.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
Just so I'm understanding this, you are a commissioner of Parliament. Your approval that we're seeing today--other than us, who else sees it to approve it before it gets printed in the blue book?
Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
Normally we would consult with Treasury Board before we--
Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner