Evidence of meeting #41 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 budget.
A video is available from Parliament.
Marcia Santiago Executive Director, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat
Are you referring to the change in the main estimates for the Canada school?
Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management, Treasury Board Secretariat
Certainly, we'll look at that.
Perhaps while we're doing that.... We are dealing with two documents: supplementary estimates (C) and the main estimates.
Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management, Treasury Board Secretariat
It would help us if you could do that.
With the Canada School of Public Service, we are seeing a program expenditure, vote 1, of $53.8 million in this year's main estimates. This time it is an increase over last year's main estimate of $39.9 million. The increase is driven by a change in mandate. A large part of training and professionalization of certain functions—finance and evaluation, etc.—is now being consolidated in the Canada school. A number of departments transferred money from their budgets into the Canada School of Public Service to start the year. They're actually beginning the year with a substantial increase.
NDP
The Chair NDP Pat Martin
Mr. Pagan, I'm going to have to stop you there, I'm afraid. We're way over time here, and it's not fair to the other questioners. Perhaps that can be answered in the context of a response to another questioner.
Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management, Treasury Board Secretariat
Mr. Chair, if I may, how much time do I have for answers, so I'll follow the clock?
NDP
The Chair NDP Pat Martin
Unfortunately, we have five minutes for questions and answers, so when someone asks a fairly long question it leaves you very little time.
Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management, Treasury Board Secretariat
Okay, I will manage my time accordingly.
NDP
The Chair NDP Pat Martin
He gets a lot of stuff in.
I'm sorry to interrupt, but again, we do have to go on to Mr. Guy Lauzon.
Conservative
Guy Lauzon Conservative Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. This is my first meeting at this committee and I'm thoroughly impressed. I find this committee fascinating and interesting. I wonder if all these meetings are this interesting. I look forward to future meetings. Seriously, I'm really impressed with the quality of the members and of the witnesses. So, welcome.
Conservative
Guy Lauzon Conservative Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON
And the chair, at moments, does quite a good job.
Conservative
Guy Lauzon Conservative Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON
I don't want to put you on the spot, Mr. Pagan, but the minister said a couple of things in his comments that tweaked my interest. I don't know if you caught it or not, or if you or whoever wrote it is aware, but he mentioned, I think, either in his comments or in answer to a question, that we were on track for a balanced budget.
Is that your understanding of what he said?
Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management, Treasury Board Secretariat
That is my understanding of what he said, yes.
Conservative
Guy Lauzon Conservative Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON
Okay.
The other thing he said, which really impressed me, is that there's a $9 billion increase in payments to individuals.
Conservative
Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management, Treasury Board Secretariat
That was the number he used, yes.
