Evidence of meeting #80 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was office.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:20 p.m.
Layla Michaud
We made one last year.
4:20 p.m.
Layla Michaud
The $3.4 million was approved for a year. Now we are here this year again for temporary funding but we need permanent funding for this office.
4:20 p.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
When the Office of the Information Commissioner has asked for permanent, stable funding to help Canadians get access to the information that they're entitled to under the law, those requests have been rejected.
4:20 p.m.
Layla Michaud
Yes.
4:20 p.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
The budget is the rejection. You say we need this much to do our job, and the budget comes in this much short year after year.
4:20 p.m.
Layla Michaud
Last year, through the budget exercise, we asked for temporary funding.
4:20 p.m.
Layla Michaud
This year we asked for temporary funding as well, and again it's a fit-gap measure because of Bill C-58. Hopefully, we will be consulted and able to work with Treasury Board and Finance in regard to giving them proposals as to how much money we need to operationalize.
4:20 p.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Extend this out. When you are unable to perform your duties in resolving complaints, help me understand the impact of that on Canadians. I'm thinking of the civil liberties groups, the first nations groups, the environmental groups, and the media outlets that have appeared before us and had problems gaining access to information that, under the law, they are entitled to.
By not resolving these complaints, does this keep the problem going longer for these individuals and organizations?
4:20 p.m.
Layla Michaud
Of course. There's no reason that we should have a backlog. There's no reason that we should have an inventory.
4:20 p.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Is the backlog directly and exclusively related to money, funding?
4:20 p.m.
Layla Michaud
The backlog is directly related to money.
4:20 p.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
We've heard it said from the Information Commissioner and others that information delayed—
4:20 p.m.
Layla Michaud
Is information denied....
4:20 p.m.
Layla Michaud
Yes.
4:20 p.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Underfunding your department, therefore ensuring that a backlog is maintained, and therefore guaranteeing that the delays will be longer, is a backdoor way of denying information to Canadians.
4:20 p.m.
Layla Michaud
I think that's a fair statement. There's a reason that year after year we're looking to get more money for our office.
4:20 p.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
If the government were really intent and sincere about ensuring access to information to Canadians—again, which is entitled to them and enshrined by law—then funding that process would be the clearest way to show that commitment.
4:20 p.m.
Layla Michaud
My sense is, yes, that's a conclusion that can be made.
4:20 p.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
You may have said this already, but what percentage of your operations get taken up through the complaint process? Is it one-half of your budget? Is it three-quarters? Is it one-fifth? Has that analysis ever been done?
4:20 p.m.
Layla Michaud
What I said earlier was that 80% of our budget is related to hiring FTE employees, and 20% is operations. When we look at our total budget, usually if we make a distinction between corporate services and programs, it's around 20% for corporate services and 80% for the program.
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
4:20 p.m.
Liberal
Michel Picard Liberal Montarville, QC
Since we are talking about the budget, I will go back to the figures you mentioned.
You requested $4 million to start and a subsequent $1 million. Could you tell me what the difference is between those two amounts and what they are used for?
