Government Operations Committee on June 7th, 2022

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

No, I realize that. It's a simple question. It's straightforward. Do we have enough office space for the new people added?

[Marie-Chantal Girard]

Currently, each deputy minister is bringing people in as per the model, the operational requirements and what they want to test as a hybrid format. We're not hearing about not enough space to do the testing model.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Will TBS be setting a return to work policy, if it's a hybrid setting, like the province does, with x number of days per week in the office and x at home?

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Thank you again for the question. We are currently, of course, encouraging departments to identify the needs they have—

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Right, but are we going to set a directive as opposed to encouraging? Will we set a directive?

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

We have sent, with the occupational health and safety...they have the requirements to share. The department officials are the ones leading on what they need for their own departments. Therefore, we have a policy.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

There won't be a directive from Treasury Board—

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

There is a directive.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

—saying return to work x number of days, or....

[Marie-Chantal Girard]

The directive on the health and safety is provided in collaboration with our PHAC colleagues. What we are providing is guidance to make sure that it's done in a consistent, equitable way as per collective agreement requirements, but it's for each department and deputy minister to determine the model they want to test, and—

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

I'm going to interrupt quickly, just because I'm running out of time.

There's a lot less in the supplementary (A)s, as compared with previous years, from the budget. Is it just a change in process? Is it a slowing process or implementation issue that so little from the budget is in the supplementary (A)s compared to normal?

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

I will let Annie give you an answer on that.

[Annie Boudreau, Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat]

Thank you.

It is not a change in the process. Last year in the supplementary (A)s we had a big amount for COVID-19. That's why the amount—

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Two years before, a lot more from the budget was in the supplementary (A)s as well, though.

[Annie Boudreau]

It was the year before budget 2020.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Two years ago....

[Annie Boudreau]

There was no budget 2020.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

That's what I said—two years before.

[Annie Boudreau]

Yes. It was budget implementation at that time. That's why it was 100% included for the two years before budget 2020.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Will you catch up in the supplementary (B)s?

[Annie Boudreau]

Yes—in the supplementary (B)s and (C)s, absolutely.

[The Chair, Conservative, Robert Gordon Kitchen]

Thank you, Mr. McCauley.

We'll now go to Mr. Bains for six minutes.

[Parm Bains, Liberal, Steveston—Richmond East, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister, for joining us today.

Minister, how is your office improving the efficiency of our regulatory system, and why is this important for Canadians?

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Thank you for the question.

As you know, we're making our regulatory system more effective and less burdensome. While we maintain our world-class protections for consumers, health, safety and the environment, at this time the second annual regulatory modernization bill is in the Senate. It's Bill S‑6. It will reduce administrative burden for businesses, facilitate digital interactions with government and simplify regulatory processes. These changes will also support our economic recovery by helping businesses do what they do best—make it easier for Canadians to get things done.

That is what we're currently seeing with Bill S‑6 in the Senate at this time.

[Parm Bains, Liberal, Steveston—Richmond East, BC]

The PBO has criticized the misalignment of the budget and main estimates.

What is your response to that?