Government Operations Committee on Nov. 24th, 2011

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I would also like to thank the minister for appearing at this meeting of the committee. We know your schedule is very full, but let me say that we are always pleased to see you.

Some Canadians are having trouble figuring out the supplementary estimates (B). It really is difficult for the layperson.

Could you give us a fairly brief explanation of exactly what is involved in these supplementary estimates (B)?

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

Of course. There is an architecture behind these forecasts.

I am going to give the explanation in English.

We have a whole system that is set up for the overview. It's important that we connect each expenditure, as much as possible, with earlier expenditures, for instance, so that we can compare apples to apples as parliamentarians. The history of supplementary estimates is that from time to time, there are certain monies that are unanticipated expenditures or that have not been expended in the time originally allotted for them. In those circumstances, that's why supplementary (B) or (C) estimates are important.

Do you want to add anything, Madam Secretary?

[Michelle d'Auray]

Thank you.

One thing that it is important to know is that ordinarily the estimates are tabled very shortly after the budget. So the recurring initiatives or new initiatives for which departments get funds cannot be presented in time for the main estimates, because the budget is introduced too close to those estimates. That is why departments that want approvals and authorizations have to go to Treasury Board, and then, once they have obtained their approvals, the funding request is made, the authorities convey the request to Parliament, and Parliament approves the funding and expenditures based on the authorizations given to the departments.

In a one-year cycle there is always a gap, a time lag, between when the funds needed for government initiatives are determined, when the departments receive their authorizations from Treasury Board, and when Parliament votes the funds so the spending can proceed in the proper manner.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

I have a little time left, Mr. Chair?

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

You have two minutes, Jacques.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

On a different subject, Minister, I know you are responsible for FedNor, the equivalent of Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions. I am very familiar with how that agency operates in Quebec.

Is it similar for Ontario though? What has the agency done in the last two or three years to help northern Ontario get through the economic crisis?

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

There are similarities, but there are also major differences for each regional development agency. For example, a program that works in western Canada might not work in Quebec. The same is true for northern Ontario. The goal of FedNor is to support job creation, community job creation initiatives.

For example, there are not a lot of jobs for young people in northern Ontario and this is a problem for the region. FedNor offers a very useful program to support communities or private firms that want to hire young employees. That is possible with financial support from FedNor. Young people are then able to get their first job in northern Ontario, rather than in Toronto or Waterloo or somewhere else. I think FedNor plays an important role. In fact, that agency enjoys support from all of northern Ontario.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Jacques, I'm afraid your time has expired. Thank you.

For the Liberal party, we have Sean Casey. Five minutes, Sean.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

My first question really arises out of your opening remarks, Mr. Minister. You indicate that there's a request for an increase in operational spending of $15.5 million for the engagement of external experts in connection with the strategic and operating review. Is that over and above the amounts already paid to Deloitte & Touche?

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

No, that's referring to the same amount.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Okay.

Still on the subject of the strategic and operating review, I'm the veterans affairs critic, and the president of the legion, Pat Varga, has basically issued a call to the Government of Canada to follow the lead of the U.S. and Britain and exempt the veterans affairs departments from cost-cutting measures. I understand, sir, that every department has been asked to submit a 5% plan and a 10% plan.

Are you open to making that number for the veterans affairs department 0%?

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

No.

What I can tell you is that in some cases I think it's important to say that the budget may have zero reductions in certain programs, because it's deemed that it's the appropriate thing to do. In other cases, the reduction could be anywhere from 0% to 10%. In some cases, if the program is deemed not to be useful to Canadians, the reduction could be 100%.

We're really not at the stage right now, Mr. Casey, where we've made any decisions. Obviously, those will be communicated in the budget. Once that is done, then there will be an opportunity to debate it in the House of Commons, I can assure you of that.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Thank you.

In the same vein, and I asked this question of the Minister of Veterans Affairs a couple of days ago, the problem we're faced with there or that the minister claims we're faced with, is a declining number of clients. But there is a huge skill base that has built up within the department in terms of case management, disability management, and early intervention for those who are disabled.

My question for you, Minister, is given the base of skill set that has been built up there, if the projections are accurate and they have a declining client base, it strikes me that it would be a very efficient use of the talent pool to deploy those people to perform disability management for all federal government employees.

That's something that clearly would be outside the purview of the Department of Veterans Affairs, but would require some interdepartmental cooperation. Is that something you'd be prepared to look into further and something you'd be prepared to consider?

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

Sure. Let me make it clear that everybody has been focusing on the reductions a little bit, and I understand that, but this exercise is also about at least starting the process of transformation of the public service, so that it can deliver excellent quality services to Canadians at a price that is affordable and sustainable over a longer period of time.

So we are looking for transformative projects, not just savings or reductions projects. Certainly, I have noted your suggestion, and I take it very seriously. Thank you.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Okay.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

You have about 90 seconds left, Sean.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Okay.

Mr. Minister, I know you've been in the news a whole lot more than you probably ever wanted to be, and for all the wrong reasons, I believe, in your mind.

My question to you, and it relates to the G-8 and G-20, is if you had to do it over again, would you do anything differently?

[Andrew Saxton, Conservative, North Vancouver, BC]

There's a point of order.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

On a point of order, Mr. Armstrong.

[Scott Armstrong, Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley, NS]

Looking at the orders of the day, I think we are discussing the supplementary (B)s. Nowhere on the agenda for today do I see anything to do with G-8 spending. I think the question will be out of order.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Yes, thank you, Scott. In terms of relevance, I think you're right. We're not entertaining questions on anything other than the supplementary (B) estimates.

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Full marks for originality. It's not a big surprise.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Yes, points for originality, I suppose.

You have about 50 seconds left, Sean, if you'd like to ask about something else.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

The rest of my questions were in that vein, so I'm finished.

Thank you, Mr. Minister.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Okay.

Next, for the Conservatives, Ron Cannan.