Government Operations Committee on Nov. 26th, 2009

[Alexandra Mendes, Liberal, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I would like to come back to the $73.3 million that have be reallocated within the department.

Could you tell me which capital projects were curtailed so that this money could be reallocated?

[John McBain]

Thank you for the question.

In terms of the presentation of these figures, I could see how one would assume the projects were being cancelled. This reflects our need to align our votes with the actions that are being undertaken.

When the department put its economic action plan submission together, we did so at a macro level. We did an estimation of how much would be done through repair and how much would be done through capital votes. When we have since put our plans in place, most of the actions we have taken through the economic action plan are in the repair budget, or vote 1, so it does not, in my opinion, reflect a diminishment of our projects; it reflects the nature of the funding that is used to support the execution of the work. We are still completing that amount of work. This is more or less a funding vote alignment to make sure it accurately reflects the nature of the work.

The bulk of our work for our portfolio is done in our repair budget, which is vote 1. This transfer reflects that we are moving the money from the capital vote to the repair vote to reflect where the work will be done.

[Alexandra Mendes, Liberal, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

There's no change in priorities. You didn't really affect priorities here.

[John McBain]

No.

[Alexandra Mendes, Liberal, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

Is the $21.6 million requested for the operating fund for administering and managing the infrastructure stimulus fund in addition to the $64 million already earmarked in your internal funding reallocation? Is this money in addition to the $64 million?

[John McBain]

Yes, it is.

As I said earlier, it is for indirect costs that aren't directly attributable to a specific project. The other funds are directly used to implement projects and repairs.

[Alexandra Mendes, Liberal, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

Could you please explain the nature of the changes related to the lease-back provisions of the national investment strategy?

[John McBain]

Certainly. This reflects the fact that, as we were discussing earlier, seven assets were sold, were moved to the private sector, and then moved into a lease situation for the crown. This funding had previously been in our national investment strategy, i.e., our capital vote, because we owned the assets. Because we are now leasing them, we moved it to the operating side.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

What seven assets were those that you sold and leased back?

[John McBain]

They are seven assets across the country, including the Harry Hays Building, the Thomas D'Arcy McGee Building.... I can provide the committee with an exact list of those seven buildings.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

And was there a business case done as to the advantage of the lease-back versus sale, and whether paying rent is to our advantage?

[John McBain]

Yes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

So if you have done that analysis, could we have it?

And I'm utilizing the Liberal time, so that's fine.

Madam Hall Findlay.

[Martha Hall Findlay, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

I just want to say thank you for offering to have the list and the business cases for them. Could we just have a timeframe for when we might be able to have them?

[John McBain]

That should not be a problem for us to pull together. I should be able to have that in a couple of weeks for you, to have that complete information.

We used two sets of consultants for us, third-party advisers, in terms of investments and assessment of the deal, so we have that documentation, if you would like it.

[Martha Hall Findlay, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

And with that, would it be possible to know who those advisers are, just so that we can sort of track?

[John McBain]

Certainly.

[Martha Hall Findlay, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

That would be great.

And just to confirm when, let's peg a date.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Let's say two weeks, did you say?

[John McBain]

Two weeks.

[Martha Hall Findlay, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

Two weeks from now?

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Okay, so two weeks. That's fine.

[Martha Hall Findlay, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

Terrific.

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Okay.

Any other short comment?

Okay, fair enough.

Monsieur Nadeau.

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen.

What exactly will the transfer to Library and Archives Canada in Gatineau consist in? I am sure you can appreciate why I am interested in the subject.