Evidence of meeting #116 for Public Accounts in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was accounts.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Michael Ferguson  Auditor General of Canada, Office of the Auditor General
Roch Huppé  Comptroller General of Canada, Treasury Board Secretariat
Pat Kelly  Calgary Rocky Ridge, CPC
Paul Rochon  Deputy Minister, Department of Finance
Bradley Recker  Director General, Fiscal Policy, Department of Finance
Randeep Sarai  Surrey Centre, Lib.

4:25 p.m.

Deputy Minister, Department of Finance

Paul Rochon

Is that in volume one?

4:25 p.m.

Liberal

Chandra Arya Liberal Nepean, ON

Yes, it's in volume one. It is $2.8 billion.

4:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson

What page is that?

4:25 p.m.

Liberal

Chandra Arya Liberal Nepean, ON

It's in table 11.4, on page 350 of volume one.

What is this transfer?

4:30 p.m.

Deputy Minister, Department of Finance

Paul Rochon

These are the total of the transfers to the World Bank and the African Development Bank for international assistance.

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

Chandra Arya Liberal Nepean, ON

I thought they were different. That's under finance—

4:30 p.m.

Deputy Minister, Department of Finance

Paul Rochon

Sorry, there's a few other things in there, but primarily that's what they relate to.

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

Chandra Arya Liberal Nepean, ON

I thought the African Development Bank and the International Development Association are all covered under finance. That is $2.28 billion.

4:30 p.m.

Deputy Minister, Department of Finance

Paul Rochon

That is correct.

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

Chandra Arya Liberal Nepean, ON

Is this $2.8 billion part of that?

4:30 p.m.

Deputy Minister, Department of Finance

Paul Rochon

The $2.8 billion is part of that because the Minister of Finance is the governor for the World Bank.

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

Chandra Arya Liberal Nepean, ON

Okay. Is the international humanitarian assistance of $468 million distinct from that?

4:30 p.m.

Deputy Minister, Department of Finance

Paul Rochon

I'm sorry, I was referring to Global Affairs, as my colleague Brad Recker is pointing out.

Pardon me, you're asking, what is the $2.2 billion from the department?

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

Chandra Arya Liberal Nepean, ON

No, what is the $2.8 billion?

4:30 p.m.

Deputy Minister, Department of Finance

Paul Rochon

Is that money from Global Affairs to the World Bank?

4:30 p.m.

Bradley Recker Director General, Fiscal Policy, Department of Finance

That would be the entirety, I believe, of the transfer payments related to international development.

4:30 p.m.

Deputy Minister, Department of Finance

Paul Rochon

And we have finance numbers, too.

4:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson

His answer, though, is that this is the allotment to the World Bank, and it would be an international development line item.

Am I correct on that?

4:30 p.m.

Deputy Minister, Department of Finance

Paul Rochon

That's correct. Under finance, you have the International Development Association for multilateral debt relief. Those are amounts that are paid to the World Bank, as well as the African Development Fund, so the African Development Bank.

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

Chandra Arya Liberal Nepean, ON

Just for me to understand clearly, this $2.8 billion includes the $2.2 billion in the line above?

4:30 p.m.

Deputy Minister, Department of Finance

Paul Rochon

I see your question. No, that is a different line.

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

Chandra Arya Liberal Nepean, ON

Then that $2.2 billion goes to the International Development Association, including the African Development Bank?

4:30 p.m.

Deputy Minister, Department of Finance

Paul Rochon

That's correct.

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

Chandra Arya Liberal Nepean, ON

For me, this international development under Global Affairs is a distinct item of $2.8 billion.

4:30 p.m.

Deputy Minister, Department of Finance

Paul Rochon

Correct.