House of Commons Hansard #42 of the 38th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was fishery.
Peter Adams Liberal Peterborough, ON
Mr. Speaker, he is the second member opposite to mention the Governor General's northern trip.
What I forgot to mention before was the Governor General visited nine northern countries, which is something I approve. I would like to ask a question, although I am not sure if I am allowed. What did the Conservative Party representatives on that trip report when they came home? Did they report to their caucus? What did they say? Why are the people who were on that trip not speaking today?
Sarmite Bulte LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, I too rise this evening in support of the motion to restore funding to the Governor General's budget.
As we know, the question of other government department support to the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General has been an issue in the recent past because parliamentarians have indeed expressed an interest in the overall expenditures of the government in support of the Governor General. This is in addition to the direct budgetary expenditures of the office.
During the time I have I would like to outline the support provided by other federal departments and agencies to the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General. It should be noted that such support is not new to this mandate, but has been government practice for virtually every Governor General since Confederation.
I would like to begin by making one point very clear. Costs are incurred by other government departments to support certain activities of the Governor General because these activities help them to achieve their departmental mandate. That is why these costs form part of their annual budgetary appropriation that is approved by Parliament. As such, most if not all of the decisions to incur expenses in support of the Governor General are made by those departments and agencies in whose budget these allocations appear and not by the office of the Governor General itself.
The institution of Governor General is a powerful symbol of Canada's national sovereignty and identity and, as I will note, the Governor General is frequently called upon to participate in departmental events when it is important to have our head of state present.
However, in the interests of transparency, the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General has made public a report that summarizes the source of funding from all other government departments and agencies that provide that kind of support, the purposes to which those funds are put, and the amount of those expenditures for the most recent complete fiscal year, that being 2003-04.
Let me now tell hon. members about some of the highlights of this report. The Department of National Defence provides support to the Governor General and to the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General in several respects because of the position of the Governor General as Canada's head of state and commander in chief.
In particular, the Department of National Defence provides transportation services and other logistical support for all the Governor General's travel, whether for an event in Canada or for state visits abroad. The service covers travel of a personal nature and security policy advises that the Governor General travel by government aircraft.
The Department of National Defence provides several key personnel to the Governor General and the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General on military assignments. They include five aide-de-camps who are junior officers at the captain or naval lieutenant level from all three services and undertake this posting as a two year assignment. It also includes a colonel or captain on a three year or four year assignment. Other personnel are provided for special services on short term assignments for undertakings such as state visits abroad.
All members of the House will agree that as commander in chief the Governor General plays a highly visible role and has an important symbolic relationship with the Canadian Forces. This is reflected in requests from the Department of National Defence for the Governor General to participate in events which are particularly meaningful to the Canadian Forces as a whole or to individual branches or units.
Main Estimates, 2004-05Government Orders
The Deputy Speaker
It being 10 p.m., it is my duty to interrupt the proceedings and put forthwith every question necessary to dispose of the business of supply.
The House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the opposition motion in the name of Mr. Kamp.
Call in the members.
The House resumed consideration of the motion.
SupplyGovernment Orders
The Speaker
Order. The first question will be on the Opposition motion, standing in the name of the hon. member for Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge—Mission, on sockeye salmon stocks.
The House divided on the motion, which was negatived on the following division:
The House resumed consideration of the motion.
Main EstimatesGovernment Orders
The Speaker
The question is on motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?
Main EstimatesGovernment Orders
The Speaker
All those in favour of the motion will please say yea.
Main EstimatesGovernment Orders
The Speaker
In my opinion the nays have it.
And more than five members having risen:
(The House divided on the motion, which was negatived on the following division:)
Reg Alcock LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board
moved:
That Vote 1, in the amount of $111,358,000, under PRIVY COUNCIL, in the Main Estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2005, less the amount voted in the Interim Supply, be restored.
Main EstimatesGovernment Orders
The Speaker
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?
Main EstimatesGovernment Orders
The Speaker
All those in favour of the motion will please say yea.
Main EstimatesGovernment Orders
The Speaker
In my opinion the nays have it.
And more than five members having risen:
(The House divided on the motion, which was negatived on the following division:)