Government Operations Committee on March 1st, 2018

Evidence of meeting #121 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was pco.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Supplementary Estimates (C), 2017-18: Votes 1c, 5c and L7c under Department of Public Works and Government Services, Vote 3c under Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer, Vote 1c under Privy Council Office, Votes 1c and 5c under Shared Services Canada and Votes 1c, 15c, 20c and 30c under Treasury Board Secretariat

Interim Estimates 2018-19: Vote 1 under Canada Post Corporation, Vote 1 under Canada School of Public Service, Vote 1 under Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat, Vote 1 under Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board, Votes 1 and 5 under Department of Public Works and Government Services, Vote 1 under Office of the Governor General's Secretary, Vote 1 under Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer, Vote 1 under Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commission

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Matthew Shea Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Services, Privy Council Office

Marian Campbell Jarvis Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet, Social Development Policy, Privy Council Office

Sylvie Godin Executive Director, Finance, Planning and Administration Directorate, Privy Council Office

Jean-Denis Fréchette Parliamentary Budget Officer, Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer

Jason Jacques Chief Financial Officer and Senior Director, Costing and Budgetary Analysis, Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer

Mostafa Askari Deputy Parliamentary Budget Officer, Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer

12:45 p.m.

Parliamentary Budget Officer, Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer

Jean-Denis Fréchette

You have put your finger on it. In its publication, a party may say, for example, that the PBO assessed their measure at $1 billion, that the party is happy and that the situation is good for all Canadians. However, I won't to be able to make that information public on my side.

12:45 p.m.

Liberal

Ramez Ayoub Liberal Thérèse-De Blainville, QC

There is an interaction, a possibility to interfere, between you and Elections Canada, but you surely don't want to do that or to get involved in the political side of things.

How are you and Elections Canada dealing with this legislation?

12:50 p.m.

Parliamentary Budget Officer, Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer

Jean-Denis Fréchette

We have met twice since the legislation was adopted.

The Elections Canada representatives said they understood very well that we were in a situation that is sometimes unsustainable, especially if the information we are revealing starts to be manipulated. They said they cannot do anything about that. One of my concerns is that we will provide a service for political parties that will not have to pay for that service during an election period.

The interpretation of the Canada Elections Act is that, if something is in the act, it is authorized and there is no problem. However, they do see a problem, which is that we would start to influence the course of the election if we intervene. For example, in the case of the $1 billion I mentioned, a political party could say that, no, the PBO rather said that it would cost $500 million, and that it's not true—I am looking at a worst case scenario. The office will then have to intervene. At Elections Canada, they are aware of the possibility of me having to intervene during the election campaign.

12:50 p.m.

Liberal

Ramez Ayoub Liberal Thérèse-De Blainville, QC

Could you intervene at any point during the campaign?

12:50 p.m.

Parliamentary Budget Officer, Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer

Jean-Denis Fréchette

We could do it at any point, once we see that the news or the interpretation of our documents will be more or less distorted.

12:50 p.m.

Liberal

Ramez Ayoub Liberal Thérèse-De Blainville, QC

Thank you.

12:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski

Thank you very much.

Colleagues, we'll suspend here. I want to thank all of our witnesses for appearing here today.

On a personal note, I would like to thank you because as parliamentarians, we're very accustomed unfortunately to a lot of time spent dealing with government departments and officials and hearing nothing but talking points and obfuscations.

It is very refreshing to hear the openness and candour that you have exhibited in some of your answers to our questions here today. I thank you very much for that on behalf of all of our colleagues.

Colleagues, we will suspend for a couple moments, and then we will get back to the table and deal with the votes for supplementary estimates.

12:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski

Colleagues, if I could get all members back to the table please. We have a couple more minutes to go.

12:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski

Thank you, colleagues. This shouldn't take too long.

12:50 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

12:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski

Shall votes 1c, 5c, and L7c under the Department of Public Works and Government Services; shall vote 3c under the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer; shall vote 1c under Privy Council Office; shall votes 1c and 5c under Shared Services Canada; and shall votes 1c, 15c, 20c, and 30c under Treasury Board Secretariat carry?

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND GOVERNMENT SERVICES

Vote 1c—Operating expenditures..........$159,985,195

Vote 5c—Capital expenditures..........$28,756,764

Vote L7c—Imprest funds, accountable advances, and recoverable advances..........$14,000,000

(Votes 1c, 5c, and L7c agreed to on division)

OFFICE OF THE PARLIAMENTARY BUDGET OFFICER

Vote 3c—Program expenditures..........$690,652

(Vote 3c agreed to on division)

PRIVY COUNCIL OFFICE

Vote 1c—Program expenditures..........$3,247,797

(Vote 1c agreed to on division)

SHARED SERVICES CANADA

Vote 1c—Operating expenditures..........$20,455,242

Vote 5c—Capital expenditures..........$150,000

(Votes 1c and 5c agreed to on division)

TREASURY BOARD SECRETARIAT

Vote 1c—Program expenditures..........$10,430,068

Vote 15c—Compensation adjustments..........$36,120,434

Vote 20c—Public service insurance..........$622,900,000

Vote 30c—Paylist requirements..........$250,000,000

(Votes 1c, 15c, 20c, and 30c agreed to on division)

12:50 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

12:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski

Do I have the unanimous consent of the committee to call all of the votes of the interim estimates 2018-19 together?

12:50 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

12:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski

Shall vote 1 under Canada Post Corporation; shall vote 1 under Canada School of Public Service; shall vote 1 under Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat; shall vote 1 under Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board; shall votes 1 and 5 under Department of Public Works and Government Services; shall vote 1 under Office of the Governor General's Secretary; shall vote 1 under Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer; shall vote 1 under Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner; shall vote 1 under Privy Council Office; shall vote 1 under Public Service Commission; shall vote 1 under Senate; shall votes 1 and 5 under Shared Services Canada; and shall votes 1, 5, 10, 20, 25, 30, and 35 under Treasury Board Secretariat carry?

CANADA POST CORPORATION

Vote 1—Payments to the corporation for special purposes..........$5,552,500