Procedure and House Affairs Committee on Nov. 29th, 2012

[Mark G. Watters]

Yes.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Okay. Theoretically, you could carry over up to—

[Mark G. Watters]

It's 5%.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

That 5% is $23 million per year.

Could you give details on this $381,000 for special requirements for members, without getting into details about individuals? Broadly, what would that be?

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK]

These are things geared toward the ongoing support members require to be able to carry out their functions here in Ottawa and when they go back and forth to their riding. I want to be careful how much I get into that, because we are talking about things specific to individual members. It's about the level of support, and in some cases, the physical accessibility of their office.

I should mention that this is all brought to the board. The board is provided with an analysis in great detail and makes sure the costs of what is being asked for are in line with other types of costs in other departments.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Thank you.

I'm looking at some numbers. For 2012-13 I see the budget is going to be $447 million. What was your budget in fiscal 2011, for last year? Do you have those numbers?

[Mark G. Watters]

I don't have them with me. From memory, the budget for that first year was somewhere around $440 million to $445 million. You were talking about 2010-11, were you?

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

I was actually asking about last year, 2011-12. If you have 2010-11—

[Mark G. Watters]

For 2011-12, in the main estimates our operating budget was $441.7 million. Then there were supplementary estimates of $12.9 million, for an operating budget at the end of the year of $454 million. Of that $454 million, the actual public accounts lapse was about $19.2 million. The statutory lapse, which is adjusted on closing the books, was about another $8.1 million.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

I'm sorry, but I'm not quite sure what those last two figures mean. I'll have to educate myself, but of the end-of-the-year budget, you spent $454 million?

[Mark G. Watters]

The end-of-the-year budget was $454 million, and we spent $427 million.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Okay, thank you. That's what you mean by “lapse”, and that's where the carry-over comes from.

[Mark G. Watters]

Yes.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Okay, fair enough.

In 2013-14, what is in the current estimates, or what are you anticipating spending?

[Mark G. Watters]

The main estimates for 2013-14 are quite a bit lower, because we have the reductions for the strategic review. We're giving effect, actually, in the budget to the reductions for two years: the reduction of about $7.4 million for 2012-13, because they're being done now through supplementary estimates (B), and the reductions for next year, which are another $9.4 million, so the budget is coming down quite a bit in 2013-14.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

What's the bottom line, the estimate on that?

[Mark G. Watters]

I believe it's $428 million.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Okay, thank you.

I have just two other—

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

You have time for only one very short one.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

I'm finding tremendous savings with the flight passes. I think they're excellent. They're very easy to use, particularly with the change in the finances. I would encourage you, though, to extend it to spouses, which you don't, and let members manage them as they manage the current ones as another savings for members with families.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Thank you, Mr. Williamson.

Mr. Toone, you have four minutes to finish us off today, please.

[Philip Toone, NDP, Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC]

I do have a question, but just briefly, I'd be interested to hear what Mr. Scheer had to say about flight passes.

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK]

To the most recent point of Mr. Williamson's about extending it to spouses, the board is looking at that type of thing.

It's very new. We brought it in as an option for members this year. We've spent this year tracking how it's used. Many things are bound to look good on paper, but then you hear from individual members about difficulties that they may be running into. We're looking at it, I think it's fair to say, with a phased-in approach. If things go smoothly on the members' side and we can figure out a way to include spouses and maybe even staff who regularly go through it, I think those are things the board is open to. It's just a matter of making sure that it fits.

If you consider it as a phased-in approach, I think that will help in the understanding of it.

[Philip Toone, NDP, Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC]

I would certainly add that when it comes to the flight passes, I think overall it probably will lead to economies, from what I've heard from other members. In my case, the savings are negligible; in fact, I think it actually ends up costing more. I think it depends on where you're travelling to.

Anyway, if the board keeps an open mind, I'm sure we'll find an appropriate resolution.

Can we go back to the positions that have been left vacant and eliminated?

An effort was made to ensure that services to members were not cut, but what kind of positions were involved?

[Audrey O'Brien]

For example, one of the positions eliminated was that of a person who provided administrative support to the parliamentary internship program. That person retired and the position was abolished. The parliamentary internship program still receives administrative support, but that is now part of the duties of other individuals. The director of the program at the university was consulted. I spoke to him the other day and he told me he was pleased with the changes we had made.

We try to be creative when we consider the possibilities. I will tell you quite frankly that, in some cases, employees who had been here for a long time and did not want to retire subsequently decided to do so after considering the possibilities and work reorganizations suggested. I do not mean to suggest in the least that we should put this on the backs of the poor people who have stayed. It is more that we are trying to achieve a better, more efficient allocation in all areas.