Thank you. I appreciate the opportunity to be here.
Honourable members, I'm pleased to appear before you on the main estimates of the Treasury Board Secretariat and the Canada School of Public Service. Today I have with me Alister Smith, assistant secretary of the Treasury Board Secretariat; Kelly Gillis, the assistant secretary in our corporate services sector; Jamie Tibbetts, the chief financial officer at the Canada School of Public Service; and Dan Danagher. If more technical information is required, both of the other individuals can appear and answer questions.
I appeared before this committee on March 10, when the main estimates for 2009-10 were tabled. At that time I spoke to you about the priorities for Treasury Board. Today I'd like to take this opportunity to bring you up to date on some of the key initiatives that Treasury Board is leading for the government. After I've concluded, I'd be pleased to answer questions.
One of the Treasury Board Secretariat's key priorities is ensuring that the government operates effectively and in the best interests of Canadian taxpayers. We are being tested in this area by the monumental efforts required to implement Canada's economic action plan. We've had to act quickly to implement the stimulus measures contained in the plan in order to ensure that they have a real impact for Canadian businesses and families.
At the same time, we've acted to ensure that taxpayers' money is spent responsibly and effectively. We are striking the right balance between due diligence and the rapid delivery of stimulus. In the year ahead, we will continue working with other departments to continue the efficient and effective implementation of the economic action plan.
I'm pleased to report that the crucial initial phase of the budget implementation has been a success. Within two months of tabling our economic action plan, we have received nearly all of the necessary authorities for funds to flow, including $10 billion through the Budget Implementation Act, which was introduced and passed in record time.
The Budget Implementation Act included $7.6 billion in spending authorities and $2.4 billion in tax reductions for 2009-10. The supplementary estimates (A), tabled May 14, included information related to $1.8 billion in allocations from vote 35, which is a mechanism to provide bridge funding to economic action plan initiatives that were ready to move forward in advance of the regular supply process.
In addition to vote 35 allocations, the approximate total of Budget 2009 items in the supplementary estimates (A) is $1.6 billion. The remaining value of the economic action plan items to be approved for 2009-10 is approximately $2.1 billion. We have all of the authorities in place for the entire stimulus package of $22 billion, other than the $2.1 billion I just mentioned.
These items will be funded through future allocations from vote 35, that is, up to June 30, or through supplementary estimates (B) or (C). As committed, our government is reporting on the use of vote 35. In addition to the information already reported in supplementary estimates (A), we will be reporting on all allocations from vote 35 in the June quarterly report to Parliament. Final allocations from this vote will be reported in the third quarterly report to Parliament and in the supplementary estimates (B).
The secretariat is also committed to ensuring that program spending is focused on results, provides value for taxpayers' money, and is aligned with the government's priorities and responsibilities. In other words, we are working to make government more effective. Our primary tools for achieving this are the new expenditure management system and the strategic review of each department's and agency's spending on a four-year cycle. The new expenditure management system is helping to ensure that the government gets value for money. We are ensuring that program spending is focused on results, that it provides value for taxpayers' money, and that it is aligned with the government's priorities and responsibilities.
The expenditure management system our government put in place in 2007 will continue to serve us well. An important part of this system is the strategic review process. Through this exercise, every department and agency is required to assess all of their direct program spending and performance on a four-year cycle to ensure they are achieving their intended results, are efficiently managed, and respond to the priorities of Canadians. Strategic reviews are rigorous and systematic assessments of all direct program spending and the operating costs of all their major statutory programs.
This year marks the third cycle of strategic reviews. As we've already seen, departments and agencies take these reviews seriously and bring forward their proposals to ensure that every dollar we spend is achieving real results for Canadians. It's really not much different from what Canadian families do when they regularly adjust their spending to meet their changing needs.
In addition, this year we're taking steps to ensure that our public service continues to be dynamic and remains well equipped to address challenges in a way that is both cost-effective and responsive to the needs of Canadians.
That is why, effective March 2, 2009, a new Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer was created. This office combines central components of human resources management and is housed within the secretariat. With this restructuring we are simplifying the way the government manages its human resources. We are reducing overlap and duplication, and giving managers the tools to more effectively manage resources. Very importantly, we are ensuring that deputy ministers have the tools they need to fulfill their responsibilities and manage the people in their departments and agencies. We are also cutting red tape in the management of human resources by reviewing and modernizing our human resources-related policies.
I am proud of the progress we have made in working to improve the operations and culture of the federal public service. We're getting the funding to Canadian families and businesses in difficult economic times, and we're working to ensure that the government is responsive and responsible, in good times and in bad.
Mr. Chair, together with all of my officials in the secretariat, we are ensuring that Canadians are being well served. I am confident that together we will continue to deliver for Canadians in the year ahead.
Thank you very much. That concludes my formal comments.