The Minister of Foreign Affairs under the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Act has the authority to negotiate any international agreement with a foreign state. So the minister, through his officials, exercises that mandate, normally based on a mandate that's decided by cabinet and the minister. Any negotiation you see in the press is a negotiation that is undertaken either through the Minister of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the appropriate minister—for instance, in trade agreements with the Minister of International Trade.
For your specific question as to the Beaufort, there is no ongoing negotiation with respect to resolving the current dispute. As agreed between then Minister Cannon and Hillary Clinton, there is a dialogue between officials to establish some of the scientific parameters.
You asked about budgets. Our department is really about negotiating. The budget for negotiations on particular issues is part of our normal, daily A-base.