Evidence of meeting #23 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was information.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Clerk of the Committee  Mr. Paul Cardegna
Glenn Purves  Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat
Roger Ermuth  Assistant Comptroller General, Financial Management Sector, Office of the Comptroller General, Treasury Board Secretariat

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Robert Gordon Kitchen

Thank you, Mr. Green.

We'll go to Ms. Harder for five minutes.

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

That's great. Thank you.

Mr. Purves, one of the comments you made was that you would provide information “that was useful to Parliament”. Can you help me understand how you distinguish between what is useful to Parliament and what is not?

5:10 p.m.

Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat

Glenn Purves

When I said useful to Parliament, our intention is always that whatever we provide [Technical difficulty—Editor] in this—

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

Who determines that? Do you determine that?

5:10 p.m.

Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat

Glenn Purves

It would be you that would determine that on the basis of your perspective, and—

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

But you're the one who determines what information you provide and what information you keep to yourself.

5:10 p.m.

Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat

Glenn Purves

We provided the report on March 17 from new aggregate data that we've collected to date.

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

But [Technical difficulty—Editor] that you've been collecting monthly reports since then—March 2020, I should say, sorry—and so why wasn't that information considered important to parliamentarians?

5:10 p.m.

Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat

Glenn Purves

We've never said no in responding to requests from parliamentarians for data—

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

So you'll be providing us, this committee, with month-to-month reports, then, according to Mr. McCauley's motion?

5:10 p.m.

Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat

Glenn Purves

Absolutely. We responded to the motion. It was a year to date—

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

And you'll provide those from 2020?

5:10 p.m.

Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat

Glenn Purves

Absolutely.

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

Okay, we anticipate that. Thank you.

It was interesting to me, as I was reading through the report, that about $43 million was given to museums. I'm just wondering what this money was spent on.

5:15 p.m.

Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat

Glenn Purves

In terms of the actual implementation of the measures from the museums, that's something that we'd have to get back to you on. We do [Technical difficulty—Editor] that we're collecting this information, but in terms of the scope of implementation and so forth, it's best directed towards the departments.

5:15 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

The monthly reports that you'll be providing to us would give us a good understanding of how that money's being used. Is that correct?

5:15 p.m.

Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat

Glenn Purves

The monthly report would effectively provide all the data that we're collecting from the organizations.

5:15 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

Okay. That would help us understand how that money is being spent.

5:15 p.m.

Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat

Glenn Purves

It would be the monthly information that they would be providing.

5:15 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

Okay, great.

I raise it because $43 million was spent on museums. I do believe that the preservation of our history is super important, but what's interesting to me is that the $43 million didn't go towards subsidizing rent. It didn't go towards helping wages for those who weren't able to go to work during that time. I'm very confused as to what that $43 million went to. The last I knew, museums were full of objects or items that are being preserved to showcase our history, so I don't know why $43 million was needed to look after a vacant building when it didn't go towards wages and didn't go towards rent. Meanwhile, about $18.9 million went towards the natural resource sector, so less than half of what went to museums went to the natural resource sector, which is people; it's our way of life; it's our fuel; it's what keeps us going; it's our future as a nation. Can you shed light on this for me?

5:15 p.m.

Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat

Glenn Purves

Ms. Harder, it would give me great pleasure to go back to get the information that you're seeking on this. We will go back and get context on that $43 million.

5:15 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

That's great. That would be awesome.

I trust that that information will come to me in its entirety and that you will not sift through it and give me only what you might deem that is necessary for me to receive.

5:15 p.m.

Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat

Glenn Purves

There is no intention to impose upon the committee what we think is useful. We are here to serve the committee and to provide all the information that you're seeking.

5:15 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

Thank you. I can appreciate that.

With regard to advertising and marketing, the PCO, the Privy Council Office, spent just over $2 million. Do you know what that was spent on?

5:15 p.m.

Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat

Glenn Purves

I don't know specifically what that $2 million was spent on by PCO.