Government Operations Committee on May 7th, 2012

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Are the reports not considered in conjunction with the main estimates? Would it not be useful to look at the estimates along with performance reports to kind of get a holistic view of departmental spending?

[Dr. Philip Massolin]

Certainly there are some performance measures indicated within the budget itself that square up with those displayed within the annual reports.

Just so you know, the annual reports, of course, are the public accounts of Alberta, essentially. They're reviewed by a different committee, a public accounts committee, which is, of course, something you're familiar with. They work together. The budget performance reports in the budget documents and those that appear within the annual reports work synergistically.

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Okay.

When the main estimates are considered by the policy-field committees, as you mentioned, the minister is basically there for a full three hours, usually. And it's only opposition MLAs who are asking questions. There are no questions from government MLAs. Is that correct?

[Dr. Philip Massolin]

No, government private members also ask questions.

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

I guess I misunderstood.

What are the names of the five policy field committees? How do they break down?

[Shannon Dean]

I'll just read them into the record. Right now they are: the Standing Committee on Community Development, the Standing Committee on Education, the Standing Committee on Energy, the Standing Committee on Finance, and the Standing Committee on Public Health and Safety.

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Those five policy field committees can then cover 16 departments. You mentioned that the other five are considered by the committee of supply.

What kind of time is given in the committee of supply for each department?

[Shannon Dean]

It's the same three hours.

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

It's the same three hours.

[Shannon Dean]

It is two hours in the case of the executive council.

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Okay, so there are 15 hours of consideration in the committee of supply, then, for the five that you had last year. Is that correct?

[Shannon Dean]

That's correct, unless they run out of speakers.

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Okay.

Out of the 21 departments, everything goes to the committee of supply for votes. Correct?

[Shannon Dean]

Correct.

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Is there debate before those votes, or is it purely a vote?

[Shannon Dean]

There are reports from the policy field committees and then there are just votes; there is no debate.

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

There are just votes. Okay. Thank you.

Those are my main questions. Thank you.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Thank you, Bernard. You made good use of three minutes.

Does anyone else on the Conservative benches have any further questions?

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

Are they going to send their documents? I'd like them to send them all—

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Yes, the witnesses did agree to send the documents.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

—not just the estimate document, but also their plans and priorities document, or whatever they call it.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Okay, we'll—

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

And the schedule.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

Yes, I would like to see it all.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Very good, we'll leave the clerk to ask for those.

We do have a question from the Liberals, John McCallum.