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.
4:35 p.m.
Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
I haven't had enough inquiries to tell you that, but it's apparent to me that they probably need two to three months at an absolute minimum.
4:35 p.m.
Conservative
Russ Hiebert Conservative South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC
Okay. That's the minimum, but what's the average? Certainly the office has been in place long enough and you've seen enough cases that you could say, this one took this long.... If you were to add them all up and divide by the number of inquiries, what do you think would be the average length of time it takes to deal with one inquiry?
Maybe your assistants can help you.
4:35 p.m.
Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
It's really very difficult to say because I have not issued any reports yet of inquiries that I've been asked to undertake. So I really haven't gotten enough to say.
If you look at the previous administrations, not all that many inquiries and examinations took place. So the jury is still out as to how many I will be getting.
4:35 p.m.
Conservative
Russ Hiebert Conservative South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC
Do you know historically how much time it's taken this office to respond?
4:35 p.m.
Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
I would say in the order of two to three months, perhaps.
4:35 p.m.
Deputy Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
I'm sorry, I'm not sure either.
4:35 p.m.
Conservative
Russ Hiebert Conservative South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC
Do you have a target estimate? I'm thinking, just as an example, of how some agencies or professional organizations know what their averages are, and then they shoot for a particular period of time as a target, in terms of saying they hope to complete an examination or a study or whatever within x period of time.
Do you have a target in terms of what you're shooting for?
April 10th, 2008 / 4:35 p.m.
Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
Every inquiry is extremely different. Some are relatively easy; some are relatively complex. Some involve a lot of digging to get the facts; for some you have the facts right off the top. Some are very complex in the legal assessment and others are not that complex. They're very different, each one.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Russ Hiebert Conservative South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC
But do you have a target? I know this matter is complex; you've made that abundantly clear. Do you have a target, yes or no?
4:40 p.m.
Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Russ Hiebert Conservative South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC
Okay, that's fine.
You mentioned you've lost some personnel. It seems from your comment that you lost them to the public service, but I was wondering if you could clarify for us. Were you losing employees to the public or the private sector, or both, or what percentage to each?
4:40 p.m.
Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
To the public sector or the private sector?
4:40 p.m.
Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
To the public sector.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Russ Hiebert Conservative South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC
So you're not being poached by private firms?
4:40 p.m.
Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Russ Hiebert Conservative South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC
I see.
You said the maximum number of positions would be 50. How many of those positions are currently filled?
4:40 p.m.
Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
It is 45.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Russ Hiebert Conservative South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC
It's 45, so you're looking at five vacancies. Okay.
Could you give me some indication as to how much money lapsed from your last budget?
4:40 p.m.
Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
None. This is my first budget. The previous budget was under somebody else, and none was lapsed.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Russ Hiebert Conservative South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC
So you used the very last dollar of the money that was provided to you?
4:40 p.m.
Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
I didn't, but the previous administration did.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Russ Hiebert Conservative South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC
The previous administration did. There's nothing left over?
4:40 p.m.
Director, Corporate Management, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
As Ms. Dawson mentioned, for 2007-08, we forecast a lapse of around $1 million.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative