Merci.
Evidence of meeting #27 for Finance in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was enforcement.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #27 for Finance in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was enforcement.
A recording is available from Parliament.
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'm going to be sharing some of my time with the parliamentary secretary, so give me a one-minute notice if I've gone too far. I don't think I'll use up all that time.
You're asking for an additional $238,000. Is that correct?
3:45 p.m.
Assistant Director, Macro-Analysis and Integration, Operations Sector, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada
Yes.
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
3:45 p.m.
Margaret Baxter Assistant Director, Finance and Administration, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada
Of that, $150,000 is for salary.
3:45 p.m.
Assistant Director, Finance and Administration, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada
That's two bodies.
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
Oh, really?
So we get two bodies, and then the rest is going to communications materials, or are there other costs? Is there a cost of capital for their office space and all that stuff included in there?
3:45 p.m.
Assistant Director, Finance and Administration, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada
Besides the $150,000, there are O and M costs. They would be for training, travel-related expenses, the setup of their office--that's correct--computer....
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
Janet--sorry, I shouldn't call you by your first name--there was mention that there was a communications aspect to the $283,000 in terms of talking to banks and so on. What's the value of that, do you know?
3:45 p.m.
Assistant Director, Macro-Analysis and Integration, Operations Sector, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada
This is the way the money is going to be divided up: the funding for this year includes two FTs, but ultimately we will have six FTs in total; one of those individuals will be focused on working with reporting entities in a body to do more of that outreach and to help them understand their obligations.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
At this point you're asking for money for two bodies fully equipped and trained, with a vision of going to six, so that will be four more. Since it's already printed, is it in next year's budget, then, already? How is that happening?
3:50 p.m.
Assistant Director, Finance and Administration, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada
It's in the main estimates for next year.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
It is in next year's mains.
What's your role in terms of development of the anti-drug strategy that we're helping to fund here? You talk about partners. Are you the lead? Is somebody else leading it and just asking you to bulk up to meet their needs? What's the scoop on that?
3:50 p.m.
Assistant Director, Macro-Analysis and Integration, Operations Sector, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada
Public Safety Canada is the lead on the law enforcement part of the national anti-drug strategy. I believe it's actually a three-part initiative that focuses on prevention, treatment, and then enforcement. This money falls under the enforcement part of the strategy, which is led by Public Safety Canada. It is primarily in response to the fact that a number of our partners, including the RCMP, will be getting significant new funding to pursue drug investigations. This is just a reflection of the role we play in supporting them in those investigations.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
Okay. When was the strategy completed? This is in supplementary estimates (B). Did you ask for any money in supplementary estimates (A)?
3:50 p.m.
Assistant Director, Finance and Administration, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada
No, we didn't. The request is only in supplementary estimates (B). The Treasury Board submission was approved in the September timeframe, so we would have missed supplementary estimates (A).
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
Okay. If you get approval, which you will, so when you get approval--it's not my way of doing things, but that's the way it works here--when do you hope to have these people in place?
3:50 p.m.
Assistant Director, Finance and Administration, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada
We hope to have them both in place before the end of the fiscal year.
3:50 p.m.
Assistant Director, Finance and Administration, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada
Yes.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
When does this actual supplementary estimate get voted on, or is it already done? I think we're done with it.
3:50 p.m.
Assistant Director, Finance and Administration, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada
I believe it was voted last week.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
You've got the money, so that's moving on, and you didn't apply for any money in supplementary estimates (A), right?
I'm going to ask Margaret a question. It's more of an empirical question, I think.
Is there a better way? I don't know how long you've been with the department or with finance or whatever, but I'm always amazed that we go back twice. We ask for more money twice in a year. I don't know any other business that does it. I know we're a big organization here, but do you have any suggestions? Is there a better way of doing this?
