Evidence of meeting #61 for Finance in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was information.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Chris Matier Senior Advisor, Economic and Fiscal Analysis, Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer, Library of Parliament
Relative to our June outlook, there is a slight improvement in the near term. That's for real GDP growth in 2009 and 2010.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
Right, but you're saying that this is right in line with the results of Finance Canada?
Senior Advisor, Economic and Fiscal Analysis, Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer, Library of Parliament
Yes, for their August survey, as well as for the level of nominal GDP, which matters the most for--
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
Quickly, because I only have 10 seconds, on table 1 for unemployment outlook, the outlook is actually improving, is it not, based on what I'm seeing there? Also, on your survey, the unemployment outlook is actually improving.
Senior Advisor, Economic and Fiscal Analysis, Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer, Library of Parliament
Yes. That's correct.
Senior Advisor, Economic and Fiscal Analysis, Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer, Library of Parliament
Yes, in June.
Parliamentary Budget Officer, Library of Parliament
Just as a clarification, Mr. Wallace, we projected in June an unemployment rate.... Well, based on our average private sector survey for 2009, we projected 8.7% in June, and in 2010, 9.4%. We're now saying 8.4% based on our September survey, rising to 8.9%, so we're still seeing an upward increase in the unemployment--
Parliamentary Budget Officer, Library of Parliament
Yes, it's down from 9.4%, sir.
Conservative
Liberal
Massimo Pacetti Liberal Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
There are a couple of issues here, but I guess I'll try to hit them with one shot.
Your department is lacking in resources and the government is not providing you with information, so what are we doing here? You're still able to generate reports, so what is the problem?
Let's address it from the side of resourcing. Where is the problem with the resourcing?Where does it come from? We've been hearing that it's from the Library of Parliament and we've been hearing that it's the government that's holding it back. Can we get a firm answer as to what the problem is so we can rectify it?
Parliamentary Budget Officer, Library of Parliament
Well, sir, I'd very much like to get a firm answer myself.
But again, in terms of our situation, we're part of the Library of Parliament. Our budget, we were told, for the first year was to be $1.8 million, rising to $2.8 million in the second year. The library is under the administration of the Speakers of the House and the Senate. The librarian is responsible for the administration of the library. The mandate certainly belongs to the PBO, so we're waiting for that signal from the Speakers.
Liberal
Massimo Pacetti Liberal Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC
So the latest discussions you've had with the Library of Parliament.... Because my understanding is that there's been a report and they've consented to the fact that they should be releasing the full $2.8 million, shouldn't that be the latest action that should be implemented?
Parliamentary Budget Officer, Library of Parliament
You're right, sir. The Standing Joint Committee on the Library of Parliament prepared a report that had 10 recommendations. I received that report at the end of June and developed a detailed action plan that I provided to parliamentarians, to a number of you as well, and to the committee as well, at the end of September.
We know that the supplementary estimates (B) are coming forward and hopefully there will be a supplementary estimates (C). We're hoping to get a signal very soon that our additional resources will be included in those supplementary estimates.
Liberal
Massimo Pacetti Liberal Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC
So you're hoping to see it within the next two to three weeks.
Parliamentary Budget Officer, Library of Parliament
We are hoping, sir, but we haven't been given that signal.
Liberal
Massimo Pacetti Liberal Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC
Because if you don't get the money, your staff has to know whether they're going to stay or not. These are long-term commitments. You cannot expect your staff to hang on and wait hopefully. There needs to be a commitment made by your department to maintain your staff. Am I correct or not?
Parliamentary Budget Officer, Library of Parliament
Yes, and, sir, we're saying that these staff members are actually critical to the projections and costing we're talking about, and they're on secondment. As I've said to a few other members--and I don't mind saying it here, sir--we need a critical mass to do our work. If we don't have that critical mass, it's my recommendation as the Parliamentary Budget Officer that the office be shut down, because you need a minimum amount of resources to do the work.
Liberal
Massimo Pacetti Liberal Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC
Do you have any money to even give out contracts for independent forecasting and items like that?
Parliamentary Budget Officer, Library of Parliament
At this point in time, we do not have money to do that, sir.
Liberal
Massimo Pacetti Liberal Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC
Okay.
On the other side, in terms of getting information, it's not possible that.... You're telling me that you've received 4,000 to 6,000 pages of handwritten material. You cannot tell me that there is no electronic version of that material that you received. It's done in electronic format, is it not?
