Evidence of meeting #117 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 assets.
A video is available from Parliament.
Kami Ramcharan Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Commissioner, Finance and Administration Branch, Canada Revenue Agency
Sure. We were able to use an acknowledgement of our furniture, filing cabinets, chairs and those types of things. That's what we based our savings on. We had the moratorium, so if you were looking to buy a new desk or a new chair, we wanted to make sure if we had that—
Calgary Rocky Ridge, CPC
Will this result in a postponed catch-up, or do you think that this is sustainable?
Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Commissioner, Finance and Administration Branch, Canada Revenue Agency
No, it is sustainable.
We looked at our savings over three years, and each year we had savings by virtue of doing that.
Calgary Rocky Ridge, CPC
Okay, I might ask Ms. Lemay to comment then on the broader government.
If the CRA can make do with not replacing its furniture as quickly and save several million dollars, why isn't the rest of the government adopting that approach?
Deputy Minister, Department of Public Works and Government Services
I'll tell you that from a PSPC perspective, we actually are very interested in learning from the CRA and looking at how we can develop our own system within the department's system. We're going to be seeing if there are opportunities there, and then other colleagues, I'm sure, will be interested in doing the same thing.
Calgary Rocky Ridge, CPC
It sounds pretty straightforward. It sounds like they just said that they didn't need to buy a bunch of new filing cabinets, that the old ones worked just fine.
Deputy Minister, Department of Public Works and Government Services
Yes. In our case, I know, the reality is that we keep the furniture for a fairly long time, but we do need to look into it. We'll look at anything that can make us better.
Calgary Rocky Ridge, CPC
Thank you.
Talk to me a little bit about security with regard to the disposal of electronic equipment.
Just today, in talking to some staff on Parliament Hill, I heard an anecdotal story about boxes of Blackberrys being disposed of with active SIM cards still in them. This level of carelessness, I guess.... This is the story that has circulated around the Hill. What steps are taken to make sure that something like that doesn't happen?
Maybe I'll get the CRA also to comment, because it has its own procedures. All government information is sensitive, but perhaps the CRA's is even more so than some.
Could you comment on security?
Commissioner of Revenue and Chief Executive Officer, Canada Revenue Agency
Do you want me to go first?
Commissioner of Revenue and Chief Executive Officer, Canada Revenue Agency
I can start. From the CRA perspective, I would say that, first and foremost, we work very closely with Ron and his team at Shared Services Canada in terms of the security on devices and what we have to do.
We, obviously, take every precaution to protect taxpayers' information. Because of section 241, it's the number one job in the CRA to do everything we can to protect that information.
I would say that overall the government has very strict policies on ensuring the security of information, and I would say that at the CRA, if anything, we try to be a bit stronger than that, just because of that elemental sensitivity of taxpayers' specific information.
Overall, I would say that what we do is very similar to what other departments and agencies within government do.
Calgary Rocky Ridge, CPC
Then you have 100% confidence in your ability to manage the disposal of equipment with sensitive material on it.
Commissioner of Revenue and Chief Executive Officer, Canada Revenue Agency
Yes.
Calgary Rocky Ridge, CPC
I have a couple of moments left. Maybe I'll have both Mr. Watters and Ms. Lemay comment as well on the security aspect of the disposal of equipment.
Deputy Minister, Department of Public Works and Government Services
If you don't mind, I think that Ron Parker or Nicholas would be really well positioned to answer.
President, Shared Services Canada
Sure.
There are guidelines as to the proper procedures to follow with respect to the disposal of those assets.
In terms of the specifics, Stéphane, do you have those handy?
Stéphane Cousineau Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Services, Shared Services Canada
Unfortunately, I don't, but having been a CIO in four different departments, I will confirm that, yes, there is a specific process that must be followed in terms of the procedure for destruction of, for example, Blackberrys, but also other devices.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Would you mind getting that to our committee at a later date, please?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Thank you.
Were we finished on that, Ms. Lemay or Mr. Watters?
Chief Financial and Administrative Officer, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Especially when it's for the disposal of some electronic information, be it computers, Blackberrys or whatever, I agree that there are processes to follow to make sure that the information there is not made accessible to the public, and we—
November 5th, 2018 / 4:10 p.m.
Calgary Rocky Ridge, CPC
I just have a moment left.
I'll ask Mr. Berthelette to comment.
Were you satisfied with your findings around the security for the destruction of sensitive equipment?
Martin Dompierre Principal, Office of the Auditor General
When we did our visit of sites, specifically the RCMP, we were informed that when they return computers from their vehicles, the hard drives are disposed of or shredded. There's a process that exists specifically for the disposal.
Did we test? Did we look at that specifically? No, but we were informed that there's a process that exists for the disposal of IT equipment through a—
Calgary Rocky Ridge, CPC
Those procedures were not part of the scope of your study.