Evidence of meeting #19 for Public Safety and National Security in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was million.
A recording is available from Parliament.
10:55 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Garry Breitkreuz
Thank you.
Monsieur Ménard for two minutes.
My apologies to my government colleagues, but there won't be any more time for questions. Sorry.
10:55 a.m.
Bloc
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
The first item on top of the Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada list is for its operating expenditures. Am I to understand that operating expenditures means operating expenses for the minister’s office?
It’s the first item at the top of the list, under “Department”.
10:55 a.m.
Bloc
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
It's under the title “Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness“. It’s written 25. I have it on page 426 of the document you sent me. You don’t have them? In any case...
10:55 a.m.
Bloc
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
But you surely recognize the entry. It’s written: "Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Department, Operating Expenditures”. Are these operating expenditures for the minister’s office?
10:55 a.m.
Chief Financial Officer, Canada Firearms Centre
If the number is $100 million, that would be for the department generally, in that vicinity. That's for the entire operations of the Department of Public Safety, a portion of which are the costs of the minister's office.
10:55 a.m.
Bloc
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
What is the rationale for the $62 million increase? We go from $86 to $148 million.
10:55 a.m.
Chief Financial Officer, Canada Firearms Centre
And you'd like to know the main reasons for that.
10:55 a.m.
Chief Financial Officer, Canada Firearms Centre
There has been an increase from the government's focus on public safety and emergency management, so there's been a significant increase in the emergency management costs of the department. The department also administers a program for disaster financial assistance, which is a contribution program that it shares with the provinces to reimburse them for costs that are related to natural disasters. That program has significantly increased in the past.
10:55 a.m.
Bloc
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
It’s all written down elsewhere, as we’ve seen. But is there a $62 million increase for the minister’s office alone? These are certainly not contributions, since they come later. These other amounts you told me about appear further down bellow. But simply for the operation of the minister’s office, there’s an increase of $62 million?
10:55 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Garry Breitkreuz
Your question is on the record.
Please give a brief response.
10:55 a.m.
Chief Financial Officer, Canada Firearms Centre
Just to clarify, that's the increase in operating costs of the ministry, of the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada. It's not an increase in the cost of operating the minister's offices. In fact, there's been a slight reduction imposed by the government on operations of ministers' operations.
I could get back to you with the specific cost of the minister's budget. However, that money is related to the ministry itself.
10:55 a.m.
Conservative
10:55 a.m.
Bloc
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
There’s an increase of $1.311 million while less work is being done. There’s less registration, but it’s costing more.
10:55 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Garry Breitkreuz
Monsieur Ménard, sorry, you're out of order.
I'd like to remind committee members that we have one more session on Bill C-12, so you should be preparing any amendments you have for that legislation and getting them into the clerk as soon as possible. The deadline will be right after our break, the following week.
This meeting stands adjourned.
