Evidence of meeting #27 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 41st Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was bridge.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat
So, if we can flip to the strategic and operating review, just give me two seconds to refresh my memory.
So that was a budget 2011 item. The goal was at least $4 billion in savings, and it was based on 2011-12 numbers. The results of that were 19,200 positions eliminated, and a good chunk of those were in the national capital region. So the broad base. The ongoing savings were $5.2 billion, to answer your question.
Liberal
Scott Simms Liberal Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL
That's from the strategic and operating review, then.
Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat
Which some people also call the deficit reduction action plan—they're interchangeable numbers.
NDP
The Chair NDP Pierre-Luc Dusseault
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Simms.
Now to Mr. Aspin for five minutes.
Conservative
Jay Aspin Conservative Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Welcome to the officials.
I first have a question with regard to the new department, ESDC, or Employment and Social Development Canada. On slide 7 of your presentation, Mr. Matthews, you mentioned the major voting item of $499.2 million for Employment and Social Development Canada, which is, I think, an increase of $9 million over the previous year. This increases the participation of Canadians in the labour force with the job fund as announced in the 2013 federal budget.
I'm told here there are three streams under the Canada Jobs Fund: the Canada jobs grant, which provides a maximum of $15,000 in training for each participant; the employment-sponsored training; and thirdly, the employment services and supports.
Could you tell me, sir, how many Canadians will benefit from the Canada Jobs Fund as a result of the additional funding of $9 million?
Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat
Thank you for the question.
Just by way of background, this is the Canada Job Fund, and it does replace the labour market development agreements. What you have in here is roughly $500 million of spending, of which $8.9 million is for the operations of the departments. The balance of $490 million is actually funding that will go out to recipients, jointly managed with provinces and employers. If we get good take-up you will see up to 50,000 Canadians each year benefiting from this spending. Again, it would depend on take-up, but that's the goal.
Conservative
Jay Aspin Conservative Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON
Can you specifically tell me how many additional Canadians will benefit?
Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat
Over the previous regime, I cannot. I'm sorry, I don't have that information for you. But you did properly articulate the three streams related to this. There's the Canada job grant, which is cost-shared between the government and the employer. There's employer-sponsored training, where you would see no requirement for contributions by the employer. The last bit is the employment services and support, which is very much a continuation of activities that you would have seen under the labour market development agreements. It's that type of thing.
I can't give you stats on what the delta is in terms of the number of Canadians.
Conservative
Jay Aspin Conservative Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON
Can you tell me what is the targeted percentage of Canada Job Grant recipients who will secure jobs through this initiative?
Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat
I'm sorry, Mr. Chair, those are very good questions, but they're probably better answered by the department responsible. I don't have a good handle on the labour market requirements.
Conservative
Jay Aspin Conservative Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON
What is the annual transfer to each province and territory under the Canada Job Fund?
Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat
It's per capita-based. I believe they use the 2012 census, if I'm recalling correctly. It's based on population. I'm sure we can get that information for you based on those, but I don't have that one with me.
Conservative
Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat
That one we could do.
Conservative
Jay Aspin Conservative Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON
With respect to Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada, it is requesting almost $134 million in vote 5(a) to support the consolidation of the Canadian High Commission at Trafalgar Square in London, England, which you mentioned. This amount includes renovations of the new High Commission and official residence and leasehold extension on Canada House.
Could you tell us when the Canadian High Commission operations will be moved to the new High Commission?
Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat
I believe Macdonald House was sold just before the end of the fiscal year. What's happening now is renovations related to the two properties, but I believe they're actually functioning now.
I'm looking to Marcia to see if she knows.
Executive Director, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat
I remember something about an announcement of their opening formally in the fall, but I couldn't be sure.
Conservative
Jay Aspin Conservative Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON
How much of this funding respectively will be devoted to renovations of the new High Commission, to renovations of the official residence, and to leasehold extension of the Canada House?
Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat
My understanding, Mr. Chair, is that this amount is for those three items. It's $133.6 million, and it relates to the renovations of the High Commission and residence and the leasehold extension. That's what this funding is for, those items. I don't actually have the split between the two.
You'll recall, Mr. Chair, that the intent here was to sell Macdonald House, which was done, and then buy a piece of property adjacent to the current property so they could expand or put all their activities in one place. That's what's going on here.
NDP
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I want to continue on the theme of the amount of resources allocated for environmental clean. I see at least three different categories: the nuclear, the Faro Mine and the Giant Mine, and Lac Mégantic.
Starting with the mines, I think Giant Mine operated profitably for 70 or 80 years, and Faro Mine for 40 or 50 years. Why are we left with the liability to clean these up? What efforts are made to go after the former owners? Have they taken any steps to preclude us from being left holding the liability for current operating mines?
Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat
Thank you for the question.
You're quite right, those two mines were operated profitably for a number of years.
What's changed from a corporate culture perspective? Let's be honest, environmental liabilities were not of concern, if you go back far enough. Certainly, it's more of a concern for ongoing activities.