Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I am pleased to be here to discuss the supplementary estimates (A), 2012-2013, for the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. With me is Bill Matthews, Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management, at the Treasury Board Secretariat. We are here to answer your questions on the supplementary estimates (A).
Bill Matthews will respond to any questions you may have on the government-wide supplementary estimates (A). I will address the estimates for the Treasury Board Secretariat. In addition, Mr. Matthews will address any questions on the central votes.
I would like to now focus on the highlights of the supplementary estimates (A) for the Treasury Board Secretariat.
The Treasury Board Secretariat is seeking total additional resources of $862.5 million; $850 million is related to funds required to cover the cost of paying out accumulated severance. As indicated in Budget 2011 and Budget 2012, the government is continuing to negotiate the elimination of the accumulation of severance for retirement and resignation, which includes allowing employees to cash out the severance that has already been accumulated.
To date, the accumulation of severance for voluntary departures has been eliminated for about 230,000 unionized and non-unionized federal government employees. This includes members of nine bargaining groups in the core public administration, members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Canadian Forces, all executives, and members of certain unrepresented groups in the core public administration. Eliminating the accumulation of severance benefits for voluntary departures is expected to provide permanent ongoing fiscal savings.
The Treasury Board Secretariat is also seeking $12.5 million for approved program expenditures. This includes $7.8 million for the modernization of human resources services in departments and agencies and $4.6 million to strengthen the security of federal systems against cyber-attacks.
The human resources modernization initiative will streamline, standardize, and consolidate human resources processes and systems for the Government of Canada. The funding for cyber-security will reinforce government information technology infrastructure and improve detection of and response to cyber threats in a digital world. This initiative constitutes prudent risk management in securing government systems against cyber threats that are continually evolving.
Mr. Chair, that concludes my remarks