Evidence of meeting #6 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 military.
A video is available from Parliament.
10:40 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Thank you.
To piggyback on the last question, with the new strategy being brought out by the Minister of National Defence and the department, do you foresee in any way that this will stall any of what we've talked about this morning?
10:40 a.m.
Senior Associate Deputy Minister, Department of National Defence
Chair, that's an interesting question. I would answer it by saying, no, I think it will help to bring more clarity to the needs of this important program. Therefore, if anything, it could help accelerate and raise the priority of this.
10:40 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
In the detailed action plan for the Auditor General's report recommendations, National Defence responded that it will compile a reconciliation at the end of every fiscal year that will report housing rental revenues received and expenditures incurred within National Defence related to and in support of military housing operations. In addition, National Defence will approve capital funding to the agency through resource allocation decisions made as a result of the departmental three-year integrated business planning cycle.
Where exactly will National Defence report this? Will this be reported to Parliament? What role will Parliament have? Is this in some internal report? What is the methodology here of reporting?
10:45 a.m.
Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Forces Housing Agency, Department of National Defence
There are two aspects to this recommendation.
The first one is capturing all the expenditures related to housing. Just so you know, as an agency I have to publish an annual report. In there I have financial statements that are published. This has been in place since the beginning of the agency.
In terms of the expenditures that are outside of CFHA, such as PILT, payment in lieu of taxes, this information is also captured. It will be made available.
10:45 a.m.
Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Forces Housing Agency, Department of National Defence
It is.
10:45 a.m.
Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Forces Housing Agency, Department of National Defence
Yes, it is.
In terms of business planning, which is the second part of that recommendation, as Mr. Pitfield said before, the department now has approved funding through the business cycle. The regular business cycle process has approved funding for the next three years for the agency.
10:45 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
All right.
Thank you very much for appearing before us today. We look forward to some very positive developments in the strategies, I guess, to secure good use of taxpayers' dollars as well as to make sure that some of these deficiencies are recognized and dealt with.
Again, thank you for being here today.
The meeting is now adjourned.