Evidence of meeting #5 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was review.
A recording is available from Parliament.
6:25 p.m.
NDP
The Chair NDP Pat Martin
We still have a few minutes left. If they wish to avail themselves, the NDP can have a round.
Denis.
6:25 p.m.
NDP
Denis Blanchette NDP Louis-Hébert, QC
In that case, how many people does this $1.3 billion set aside for voluntary departures represent?
6:25 p.m.
Secretary of the Treasury Board of Canada, Treasury Board Secretariat
Once again, that will depend on the number of persons who will choose to avail themselves of this. As I indicated, collective agreements were concluded with close to 100,000 people. This does not mean that they will leave tomorrow, but simply that a good number of them will be entitled to a part of this separation pay if they choose to leave. According to their number of years of service and the monetary value of the separation pay, they can ask for all of the amount or a part of it.
We can't necessarily say how many people will decide to avail themselves of this and what part of the amount they will ask for. We have to be in a position to meet a strong demand. People can indeed ask for the full amount of these severance payments even if they continue to work in the public service. We have to be able to pay out these amounts since this is an agreement we concluded.
6:25 p.m.
NDP
Denis Blanchette NDP Louis-Hébert, QC
I understand the dynamic, but you need hypotheses to do calculations and obtain a figure. I'd like to know, since normally figures aren't just pulled out of the air, how many persons you used in your hypothesis to arrive at this figure.
6:25 p.m.
Secretary of the Treasury Board of Canada, Treasury Board Secretariat
We used prior calculations and referred to past experience, in other situations. We also consulted colleagues who establish forecasts concerning the take-up of various benefits. They told us, after looking at our analyses, that approximately 75% of those entitled to these payments might ask for them.
So our calculations were based on that information, and the average number of years of service involved.
6:25 p.m.
NDP
The Chair NDP Pat Martin
Is it one week per year of service that you earn throughout your working life?
6:25 p.m.
Secretary of the Treasury Board of Canada, Treasury Board Secretariat
It is up to a maximum, I think. It hovers between 28 and 30 weeks.
6:25 p.m.
Secretary of the Treasury Board of Canada, Treasury Board Secretariat
Yes, up to a maximum.
6:25 p.m.
NDP
The Chair NDP Pat Martin
I see. Very good.
There are still a few minutes left for the NDP. No, we're concluded. We are wrapped up.
We'll thank our witness.
Let me say that in listening to you answer very complex issues in a very clear way just how much we appreciate how competent and capable our senior departmental officials are, and what a great benefit it is to us lay people to have people like you to interpret these things in digestible ways. Thank you very much for your professional presentation.
6:25 p.m.
Secretary of the Treasury Board of Canada, Treasury Board Secretariat
I'm sure we'll be back.
