Evidence of meeting #39 for Procedure and House Affairs in the 41st Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was million.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Marc Garneau Liberal Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC
Thank you.
You also mentioned challenges. Yes, the 2010 budget restraint measures do require departments to absorb the costs associated with increases in collective agreements, and the declining attrition rate has exacerbated that.
Do you believe you can meet that challenge? If not, will you have to tell the government that it's not working?
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
As we speak, the numbers need some tweaking because of all the changes in recent months. We expect to have a deficit as of 2014. So we have a year to get ready.
Of course, we are hoping that attrition will help us. However, it's not always employees in non-essential positions who end up leaving. So we will likely fall short on the attrition side. That is why we initiated the zero-based budgeting exercise, so we could reallocate resources while safeguarding Elections Canada's essential programs. Whether it is the commissioner's office, political financing or the administration of elections, program sustainability is crucial regardless of the restraint measures.
Liberal
Marc Garneau Liberal Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC
Thank you.
I think we're all concerned with low voter turnout, and you mentioned that you have initiatives to try to create a greater awareness and encourage Canadians to vote. Have your measures succeeded in accordance with your expenditures?
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
The main program that comes to mind is student vote. We did an evaluation. All participants—professors, parents, and students—found it extremely useful. They all said it increased their knowledge of our democracy and had an effect on their intention to vote in the future.
Conservative
Greg Kerr Conservative West Nova, NS
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Mayrand, you mentioned some additional costs and supplements. Do you expect a fair amount of pressure in going through that process this year?
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
One thing that could appear in the supplementary estimates would be a by-election call. That would be an additional pressure that would have to be addressed by supplementary estimates.
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
Exactly. That's why we don't provide for them in the budget.
Conservative
Greg Kerr Conservative West Nova, NS
We hope there aren't a lot of by-elections.
You mentioned the cost settled in the independent commissions—$6.9 million. Would you anticipate that being the full cost of the boundaries?
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
The full cost of boundaries, which spans more than two years, is $12.2 million—$6.9 this year, and about $4 million the year after. And we spent a bit in the previous year to get ready to launch the commission this year.
Conservative
Greg Kerr Conservative West Nova, NS
So it's a multi-year budget impact.
How does this compare with your previous experience in boundary redistribution, cost-wise?
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
Since it happens only every ten years, I won't talk of my experience. It's basically the same amount in constant dollars, so we've been careful to be rigorous. Of course, the facilities costs have increased significantly since 2004. But we were able to absorb that through a reduction in other expenditures.
Conservative
Greg Kerr Conservative West Nova, NS
I shouldn't have been suggesting you were actually there, but I'm sure you studied it pretty carefully. I appreciate that.
Could I ask about your relocation to Gatineau? I know that's a fairly expensive process. Can you give us a bit of detail on what it encompasses or what you expect?
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
This is a multi-year project. The total cost as per class-D estimates from the Department of Public Works is around $19 million, and $12 million of those costs will be incurred this year. The reason it has been added to our budget is that the decision to build the building was made prior to budgetary restraint. In addition, our main office is being decommissioned as of 2014. Another factor is that we're now spread out through seven offices around Ottawa. That's not really efficient, so going to Gatineau will leave only two buildings, one main office, where all workers will be located. There is also the warehouse here in Ottawa.
Conservative
Greg Kerr Conservative West Nova, NS
Okay.
Just further on that, the decommissioning is the main building, but you actually have to shut down or get out of other buildings as well—a lot of moves.
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
Yes. Our office has gone long past its due date, I can assure you.
Conservative
Conservative
Conservative
Tom Lukiwski Conservative Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK
Okay.
I would like a quick comment from you, Monsieur Mayrand, if I could. Right now we're talking about the permanent voters list, and it's always been a bit of a controversy. As you know, obviously, on T4 slips, or I should say on income tax returns, right now it's a voluntary mechanism where if people want their names added to the permanent voters list, they can voluntarily check off a box. Would you like to see that strengthened? In other words, would you like to see that mandatory? Would that help?
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
I guess the short answer is that it would help, because currently about 82% or 83% of taxpayers tick that box. That leaves aside 15% to 17% of them. There are other sources, but this is our main source.
On whether it should be mandatory, that's an issue that probably requires a little further thought. As you know, there are other regimes in the world where there is mandatory registration.
NDP
Nycole Turmel NDP Hull—Aylmer, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you for your wonderful presentation.
I would like some information about the budget for the next election. How much more will you need, percentage-wise, to make sure what happened in Etobicoke-Centre doesn't happen again?
There are also budget cuts to training that will affect the next budget.
