Evidence of meeting #128 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 indigenous.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Majid Jowhari Liberal Richmond Hill, ON
Okay, great.
I notice that among the three different categories—disclosure of wrongdoing, investigations launched, as well as reprisal—for the first two, the increase from the previous year to this year was around 20%, whereas the increase as it relates to disclosure went up from 81 to 147, which is an 81% increase. What was the reason for that?
Commissioner, Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner
I think the reason was that we had highly publicized case reports that attracted people to our office, and we also launched an online form. I think the Human Rights Commission has just reported, in its annual report, that the launch of an online form is generally followed by a spike in uptake.
Liberal
Majid Jowhari Liberal Richmond Hill, ON
Okay, and that spike would then result in a drastic increase in the reprisal cases.
Commissioner, Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner
The spike was on the disclosure side more than on the reprisal side.
Liberal
Majid Jowhari Liberal Richmond Hill, ON
Okay.
I have, probably, a few minutes left. I'd like to go back to the budget. You clearly explained that the jump of 56% on the expenditure, from the 2015-16 to the 2018-19 main estimates, is around three major things: information systems, employees, and a physical move. Now, I notice that when we go to 2018-19, 2019-20, and 2020-21, the budget has been maintained. Usually, information systems you buy once and you implement them. You make your move once. You hire your employees. I can understand that the salaries, as they relate to those five individuals, carry over. To what do you attribute maintaining the costs associated or the estimates associated with disclosure and reprisal management at that level?
Commissioner, Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner
I think I will ask my number guy to talk to you directly.
Chief Financial Officer, Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner
Yes, of course, for 2018-19 we will have the information management, IT—
Chief Financial Officer, Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner
For future years, we do audit and evaluations, and we do not do them all in the same year. We have the program evaluation coming up, I believe, in two years, which is a big expense. Those amounts will be replaced by something else.
Liberal
Majid Jowhari Liberal Richmond Hill, ON
Okay. I've got it. Thank you.
I have one last question. There was an increase in internal services to the tune of about 24%. Can you explain, aside from centralizing your phone system, what other efficiencies were gained to be able to reduce that to offset the 56% increase?
Chief Financial Officer, Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner
In internal whole services?
Chief Financial Officer, Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner
Currently we have information management in-house, and we need to hire a consultant to provide the support for that. Going forward with the new system, it's licensing through SSC, so it's less costly than our current system.
Liberal
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski
Mr. Blaikie, we have one last three-minute intervention spot. If you'd like to cede your time, Madame Mendès, I believe, has a question. She'd like to take your time.
Liberal
Alexandra Mendes Liberal Brossard—Saint-Lambert, QC
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Blaikie. I appreciate it.
It's not so much a question, but more a comment on the legislative review itself that was carried out last year. For the record, I really would like to put it in again that after 10 years you finally have your five-year review, and it was finally under our government that you got it, not under the previous government as was planned. We've been getting so many digs at what we are not doing that I'd like to put that on the record. We did carry out the legislative review, and I hope that TBS Minister Brison will extend the answer that he gave us initially to the report to cover your mandate, the external review.
Commissioner, Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner
If I may say so, the legislative review process carried out by this committee, and the report that came from it, from our perspective was impressively thorough and complete and reflected the key concerns, elements, and concepts underlying whistle-blowing in the public sector. I commend the committee for what was intense and difficult work.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski
Mr. Friday, I thank you for that.
Madam Mendès, you can be assured, since this is not an in camera presentation, that your comments will be on the record.
Mr. Friday, Mr. Trottier, Mr. Radford, once again, thank you for appearing. Your testimony has been helpful.
The meeting is adjourned.
