Government Operations Committee on March 10th, 2015

[Brian Pagan]

Thank you for the question. I am not familiar with any work that has been done, particularly with Marine Atlantic, but I will—

[Gerry Byrne, Liberal, Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL]

But if work has not been conducted, they could examine that and then provide an overview. Officials with Marine Atlantic have said on public record—I believe they told CBC news' On The Go, or maybe somebody told somebody who told CBC news' On The Go—in Newfoundland and Labrador that Marine Atlantic does not include the North Sydney to Argentia run. They consider that fully cost-recovered because all of those facilities are already in place for the North Sydney to Port aux Basques run. Therefore, they don't have to use any of that capital expenditure or any of those operational costs in relation to making any kind of cost recovery analysis on the North Sydney to—

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

Mr. Chair, I have a point of order.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

You have a point of order, Mr. Warkentin.

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

Obviously, we have come to the meeting to discuss supplementary and main estimates. There is a fair bit of latitude, but I do call relevance on my colleague who seems to be completely outside of—

[Greg Kerr, Conservative, West Nova, NS]

He's on a fishing expedition.

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

He seems to be on a fishing expedition.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

I would have to uphold and support that Mr. Warkentin does indeed have a valid point of order, and by some happy coincidence your time has expired, Mr. Byrne.

[Gerry Byrne, Liberal, Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL]

Shame on you, how ruthless!

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Again, time well spent.

Mr. Warkentin, do you wish to—

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

I think we're done.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Mr. Warkentin has no further questions.

We do have one further round of questions for the NDP, Mr. Mathieu Ravignat, and that will conclude our meeting.

[Mathieu Ravignat, NDP, Pontiac, QC]

Thank you. I think we might be contributing to your work-life balance after this questioning.

I want to dig a little bit deeper on the main estimates. In particular the Treasury Board Secretariat is requesting $11.6 million less under vote 1. Most of this is because it is requesting less under the workplace renewal initiative, and I just wondered why.

[Renée Lafontaine, Assistant Secretary, Corporate Services, Treasury Board Secretariat]

Thank you for the question. In terms of our workplace renewal, this started several years ago. We are currently situated in 11 different locations around Ottawa. The objective is to move into two locations in the downtown core, close to Parliament, close to where we do our business. This project has been ongoing for about three years now.

The basic reason we are reducing our operating funds by $11.6 million is that this project has been delayed. We are trying to fit up and do some construction on the new building known as 90 Elgin. That is where the bulk of Treasury Board people will be moving. That project was delayed, and I'm going to say the “reprofile” word again that you guys have been talking about all day. Because the project has slowed down, we've asked for the money to be put into next year's budget. That is the primary reason we're reducing our operating funds this year. It is because the project has been delayed so that the spending will take place primarily next year.

[Mathieu Ravignat, NDP, Pontiac, QC]

I have one last question.

For PWGSC, there's a change. In part, the change is attributed to an increase of $57.5 million related to the rehabilitation of the parliamentary precinct buildings. There is a long saga of the parliamentary precinct buildings. We have to go back to the trough for $57.5 million.

Again, why is there such an increase? It's a pretty considerable increase.

[Brian Pagan]

Thank you for the question. The increase of $57.5 million in 2015-16, as mentioned, is largely attributable to the cash profile, the needs of the particular components of the project. For instance, in 2015-16 we will see the inauguration of the visitor welcome centre just across the street. The cost of that component is $20.7 million. We will also see work beginning on the Government Conference Centre and on West Block. Those are the three principal components of the overall precinct project that are supporting the increase of $57.5 million.

[Mathieu Ravignat, NDP, Pontiac, QC]

So nothing seems to be related to security. It's just the visitors' centre, right?

[Brian Pagan]

Correct.

[Mathieu Ravignat, NDP, Pontiac, QC]

Okay.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That's it.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Thank you very much, well done.

Thank you, Mr. Pagan, and to your team for being with us today to answer some supplementary questions.

Seeing no further business....

[An. hon. member]

[Inaudible--Editor]

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Mr. Butt is asking if we had intended to pass the vote.

No, I think we'll be doing that at the next meeting of the committee, Mr. Butt. It's a valid question.

I declare the meeting adjourned. Thank you.