Government Operations Committee on May 7th, 2012

[Shannon Dean]

The estimates are presented at the same time that the budget address takes place. The information in connection with the announcements in the budget address does form part of the estimates, and it's tabled at the same time.

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

Does your system allow committees enough time to consider the estimates?

[Shannon Dean]

I would say there's a difference of opinion as to whether some members think there is enough time given to consideration. Some think there's not enough time.

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

Is it possible to follow the funding, from the time it is announced in the budget until the actual expenditure during the fiscal years, by looking at the estimates?

[Shannon Dean]

The estimates document for this year outlines all of the details for the departments' forthcoming fiscal year. Because the address typically occurs in February or March, it coincides with the contents of these estimates.

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

How is the information on the estimates grouped together? Is there a detailed breakdown of planned departmental spending?

[Dr. Philip Massolin, Committee Research Coordinator, Committees Branch, Legislative Assembly of Alberta]

As Ms. Dean indicated, the estimates do contain that expenditure information. In addition, a projection of expenditures is indicated in the business plans and released at a separate time. But that is a different set of information altogether.

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

What are the primary reasons explaining why you use the supplementary estimates?

[Shannon Dean]

Supplementary estimates in our cycle are typically presented in a fall sitting, or at the very end of a fiscal year.

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

What role does information on performance play when the committee considers the estimates?

[Shannon Dean]

We use the terminology “performance measures”, and information on the performance measures is found in the departments' business plans.

[Dr. Philip Massolin]

If I could just supplement that, performance reporting is a very important aspect of the different ministries' annual reports. That performance reporting is reviewed on a systematic basis by the public accounts committee.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

That concludes your time, Jacques.

I would like to clarify a point made by Mr. Blanchette earlier when he was asking about the deemed rule. Our crack researchers here have found in section 59 of the Standing Orders of the Legislature of Alberta that:

When the time allotted for a department’s estimates has not expired, but there are no Members who wish to speak, that department’s estimates shall be deemed to have been considered for the time allotted in the schedule.

In other words, if you allotted three hours and only one hour were used up, it would be deemed that the three hours had in fact been used. Perhaps that led to the confusion in Mr. Blanchette's question regarding the deemed rule.

Linda Duncan is next for five minutes.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Thank you.

It's nice to have Alberta official testifying, given that I am a member from Alberta.

It's hard to compare apples and oranges and, of course, your system is slightly different, but I have a number of questions.

There is some level of controversy in the House of Commons right now about the use of budget documents. I'm curious whether it's the general practice in the Legislature of Alberta to include in your budget bills a lot of substantive legislative reforms.

[Shannon Dean]

Our appropriation bill typically mirrors the votes that have been approved and voted upon in the committee of supply. It's a very short bill.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

It's basically about numbers.

[Shannon Dean]

Yes.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

So you haven't followed that practice of ours here now.

Could you remind me—and I'm sorry if you raised this previously—about the process followed by the Government of Alberta on consultations on plans and priorities and the budget with the general public of Alberta in advance of tabling a budget? Does your finance committee reach out and hold public consultations as the Government of Canada is known to do from time to time?

[Shannon Dean]

I can't really speak on behalf of the Government of Alberta in connection with their advance consultation in the budget process.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

I'm sorry, what was that again?

[Shannon Dean]

I can't really speak on behalf of the government in connection with consultation that takes place prior to the budget being tabled.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

I'm not asking you to comment on it. I'm just curious to know if there is or isn't one. Are you aware if there is or isn't one?

[Dr. Philip Massolin]

Unlike other jurisdictions, there is no legislative committee that does pre-budget consultations, like in Ontario. Here in Alberta, I think what Ms. Dean is saying is that the ministry may or may not do that sort of consultation, but we are not in a position to comment on behalf of the ministry.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Okay. I'm not trying to put you on the spot. I was just curious.

[Dr. Philip Massolin]

I would assume they would do such a thing. It would stand to reason.