Government Operations Committee on Feb. 15th, 2018

[Brian Pagan]

Again, these are approved by the minister. We ask for drafts of documents. These departmental plans for 2018-19 will be tabled with the main estimates on April 16. We've asked for drafts from departments in the weeks leading up to that so that we can—

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

That answers my question. I'm going to move on.

Ms. LaFontaine, I understand how the $623-million shortfall has come about and why we're putting it in. How did we fall behind on this liability?

[Renée LaFontaine]

We didn't want to stop making out payments to all of the new CAF members.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Of course not, but how did we fall behind on this liability, topping up the money to Manulife? Were they just slow in asking for money or we didn't foresee this crush of people coming forward?

[Renée LaFontaine]

In the past, we've done actuarial reviews every three years with where we are, because it had been at a steady state. We find that because of some new increased cost drivers such as retroactive salaries—

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

That answers the question. It's just on a three-year cycle.

[Renée LaFontaine]

That's right.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Mr. Pagan, I'm not sure if you can answer this. There's money throughout the estimates for negotiated salary increases. I'm curious. What is the average increase, including salary, pension, sick pay—all of the topics—that we're giving out right now or that are getting negotiated right now?

[Brian Pagan]

In percentage terms, Mr. McCauley, the pattern was 1.5% over—

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

I mean “all in” per year for the ones that are getting negotiated right now or that are getting covered in the supplementary estimates.

[Brian Pagan]

It's 6% over four years, with some group-specific adjustments to deal with—

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Can you get back to us on an average percentage per year, including pension, sick pay, and all the extras, and how much it is costing?

[Brian Pagan]

Yes, happily.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

What is the $1.4 million “to solve Canada's big challenges” going to be used for? That's under Privy Council.

[Brian Pagan]

Right.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

I don't know if we're going to get very far with $1.4 million.

[Brian Pagan]

The big challenge initiative was announced in budget 2017. It's primarily two issues: smart cities and clean technology. It's $300 million over 10 years for smart city initiatives and $75 million over four years for clean technology solutions.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Or perhaps it's about a quarter of the cost of an ice rink on Parliament Hill.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Thank you.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Thanks.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Mr. Blaikie, you have seven minutes.

[Daniel Blaikie, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

Thank you very much.

Thank you for your presentation.

I want to come back to the question of the delayed tabling of the main estimates and coordinating between the budget and the main estimates. I understand from the minister—both from his document and having heard him present at committee a number of times—that the ultimate goal for the President of the Treasury Board is to release the main estimates and the budget simultaneously. We're not there yet, but we're experimenting with delayed estimates in order to better integrate the process.

Of course, part of that process means having the Treasury Board Secretariat work more closely with the Department of Finance in the lead-up to the release of the budget, so that the budget isn't a surprise to the Treasury Board Secretariat. Even under our current process, the idea was to try to increase co-operation between those two departments, so that some of the information about the budget would be shared with the Treasury Board Secretariat in advance of the release of the budget in order to better coordinate the main estimates.

All that to say, has that started to happen? Is the Treasury Board Secretariat getting more information in advance of the release of the budget from the Department of Finance in order to facilitate a better coordination between the main estimates and the budget? Or are you having to wait until the release of the budget on February 27 to begin that work, and then you're left with the window between February 27 and April 16?

[Brian Pagan]

Thank you, Mr. Blaikie.

Obviously I can't speak to details of budget 2018. The date was announced to be the 27th.

What I can tell you is that over a number of years now, there has been increasing co-operation between Finance and Treasury Board, not only on the budget and estimates but on a range of programs and priorities for the government. We're building on that close co-operation and the fact that we will have a budget this year by the end of February. The main estimates on April 16 will create this opportunity where we do everything possible to bring the budget items into the main estimates for April 16.

Finance is well aware of the discussions that we've been having with the government operations and estimates committee, and with parliamentarians. They're well aware of the confusion that's created by having documents that are misaligned, and I think I can say they've been a very active partner with us in finding solutions and ways forward on this.

[Daniel Blaikie, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

Without speaking to what they might be sharing, is it fair to say that there is increased sharing and that the work of coordinating the main estimates and the budget is already under way, even though the budget has not yet been announced?

[Brian Pagan]

I think it's fair to say that, yes.