Information & Ethics Committee on May 2nd, 2017

[Mary Dawson]

Actually, as a matter of fact, I have. I investigated Mr. Harper.

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB]

Did you to this extent?

[Mary Dawson]

Yes. I did an investigation. Nobody seems to notice it, but I did and I issued a report. There's a report on the record.

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB]

In any event, then, you are confident that you have sufficient resources to carry on through the year—

[Mary Dawson]

Yes. I don't think there's a resource issue involved here.

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB]

That's good. As I said, we're pleased that you are able to continue and that you're able to return funds.

What is the funding breakdown in a typical year between investigations of former and of current office holders?

[Mary Dawson]

I'm sorry, of former and previous what?

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB]

I'm asking about the funding breakdown as you're budgeting between current and former office holders. You do investigate both.

[Mary Dawson]

Oh, gosh. Well, the only time I would investigate a former public office holder would be in post-employment. I'd say I've probably done three or four post-employment investigations that have been reported on, out of about 30 reports in total that I've done, if that's the breakdown you're looking for. Usually they're of sitting members.... I'm not allowed to investigate a former member, but I can investigate a former public office holder, including ministers and parliamentary secretaries.

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB]

All right.

With half a minute left, I think I'll....

[The Chair, Conservative, Blaine Calkins]

Certainly. Thank you very much, Mr. Kelly.

We now move on to Madame Trudel, for seven minutes, please.

[Karine Trudel, NDP, Jonquière, QC]

Thank you.

Thank you very much to our witnesses for their presentations. I want to welcome them again.

Ms. Dawson, you are about to complete your mandate. I believe that you have been commissioner for over 10 years.

What is your plan for the transition with the individual who will replace you? Are there any measures in place in terms of budgets and forecasts? Will it lead to additional costs? Has that transition already been planned in this year's budget?

[Mary Dawson]

I don't think there will be any particular costs.

There is no transition period. Once my mandate is up, it's over. When a new person takes over the duties, their mandate begins immediately.

No funding is set aside for an overlap, and I don't anticipate any issues in terms of funding.

[Karine Trudel, NDP, Jonquière, QC]

Thank you.

Do you have any recommendations for us to improve the legislative and administrative framework of the Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner in terms of the way its estimates are reviewed?

[Mary Dawson]

I have many recommendations. I have produced two reports—one on the code and one on the act—three or four years ago. Changes have actually been made to the code, but no amendments have been made to the act so far.

[Karine Trudel, NDP, Jonquière, QC]

Over the course of the next year, what will be the main challenges for the Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, over the short and medium terms? Will any steps be taken?

What will be your particular challenges? How can you gauge your progress when it comes to that?

[Mary Dawson]

I think that the office is running very smoothly now. I don't see many problems.

I have received a lot of praise about on the office's management. As I said, I have made many recommendations on changes, but they mostly had to do with rules and not the office's management.

I am sure that the person who will replace me will find that the office is in good condition.

[Karine Trudel, NDP, Jonquière, QC]

Does your budget enable you to gain insight into various issues and carry out full investigations?

[Mary Dawson]

I am sure I have the resources for that.

Thank you.

[Karine Trudel, NDP, Jonquière, QC]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Blaine Calkins]

Thank you.

Mr. Erskine-Smith, you have seven minutes, please.

[Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

Thanks very much, Commissioner, for appearing before us.

I just want to get some of the numbers right. We have $6.9 million in proposed budget allocation. Salaries are 85% of that, as you said. That works out to $5.8 million. Walk me through the amount of work. You said you have enough money. It strikes me that maybe there's more money than necessary. Maybe I have it wrong, but when I look at the 45 case files in the last year, I recognize that 200 new members came and there's a lot of work to be done there, but walk me through how that $5.8 million gets spent and how it's used effectively and efficiently.

[Mary Dawson]

You should be careful. With respect to the case files, that's just the files relating to investigations. Most of our work is done in the advisory and compliance section, the advisory work. All the receiving of information when somebody becomes a public office holder or member, that's all done separately. That has nothing to do with the number of case files. We have over 2,000 files relating to individuals. The investigation section is very small. It takes a fair amount of time, but it's a small proportion of the number of people we're dealing with and the number of files we have.

I'm not sure I've answered your question.

[Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

Partly, yes.

The 45 case files are part of the work and that was in the last year.

[Mary Dawson]

That's just looking at whether to start an examination of something.