Debates of Nov. 2nd, 2012

Pensions

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition from residents of Winnipeg North who express a great deal of concern with the government's decision to increase the retirement age from 65 to 67. The petitioners are calling upon the government to recognize the fact that people should continue to have the option to retire at the age of 65, and that the government not in any way diminish the importance and value of Canada's three major programs: OAS, GIS and CPP.

Questions on the Order Paper

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, the following questions will be answered today: Nos. 877, 883 and 893.

Question No. 877

[John McCallum, Liberal, Markham—Unionville, ON]

With regard to every decision by the Treasury Board to reprofile money from one departmental program or activity, broken down by fiscal year from 2006-2007 to present, what is: (a) the department that made the application; (b) the date the decision was made; (c) the program or activity the money was reprofiled from; and (d) the program or activity to which the money was reprofiled?

[Tony Clement, Conservative, President of the Treasury Board and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario]

Mr. Speaker, before the beginning of a fiscal year, the Treasury Board approves departmental reference levels for the upcoming fiscal year and future fiscal years. The reference levels for a department are the total of the spending for all the programs and initiatives for which the department is responsible. The reference levels for the upcoming fiscal year are presented in the main estimates by department and vote. Through approval of the appropriation act supported by the main estimates, Parliament places limits on the amounts each department can spend on operating, capital and transfer payment expenditures.

Departmental spending is not approved by Parliament on a program activity basis. Estimates of program activity spending are provided to Parliament for information purposes only. As a result, Treasury Board does not approve reallocations of funds between programs or activities. Departments manage their inventory of programs and initiatives within the spending limits authorized by Parliament. Within these limits, departments may reallocate funds between programs and determine the most appropriate mix of resources needed to efficiently and effectively deliver those programs. In the guidance on the preparation of the departmental performance reports, http://publiservice.tbs-sct.gc.ca/estsd-bddc/dpr-rmr/template-modele/ed-de-2011-12-eng.rtf, departments are instructed to explain significant variances between planned spending, total authorities and actual spending by program activity.

If a department needs to change its overall authorities, to reprofile spending authority from one fiscal year to another or to move funds from one type of vote to another, Treasury Board approval must be obtained. Those changes are then reflected in an appropriation act, and subsequently submitted to Parliament for approval.

Supplementary estimates documents, http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ems-sgd/esp-pbc/se-bs-eng.asp, now include information on reprofiled funds where applicable in explaining funds available in the vote.

Question No. 883

[Chris Charlton, NDP, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

With regard to childcare data gathered by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada: (a) what is the title of the report commissioned from the Childcare Resource and Research Unit on 2010 data; (b) what is the timeline for publication and public release of the report; and (c) will the data be made publicly available for use by researchers and interested organizations?

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development]

Mr. Speaker, as a matter of clarification in response to (a), the report in question was not “commissioned from the Childcare Resource and Research Unit.” Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, HRSDC, in collaboration with provincial and territorial governments, undertook to produce a report on early childhood education and care in Canada, using 2010 data, and launched a competitive contracting process to select a consultant to undertake the preliminary data collection and preparation. The Childcare Resource and Research Unit was the successful bidder. The report is an HRSDC publication, entitled “Public Investments in Early Childhood Education and Care in Canada 2010”.

In response to (b), the report was released on October 15, 2012, and is available on the HRSDC website at: http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/publications_resources/statistics/index.shtml.

In response to (c), the data is publicly available for use by researchers and interested organizations.

Question No. 893

[Christine Moore, NDP, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

With regard to the Canadian Army, what bonuses were paid to various members of Canadian Forces staff from 2008 to 2012, broken down by (i) year, (ii) recipient?

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, for the purposes of this response, a bonus is defined as “an unsought or unexpected extra benefit...an amount of money given...in recognition of exceptional performance or as a supplement at Christmas etc”, as in the Canadian Oxford Dictionary, or as a performance-based incentive, such as the Government of Canada’s performance management program for executives, under which some employees of the public service are eligible for bonuses.

The Canadian Army did not pay any bonuses to its members from 2008 to 2012.

Questions Passed as Orders for Returns

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, if Questions Nos. 878, 882, 884, 888, 891 and 892 could be made orders for return, these returns would be tabled immediately.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Is it agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Question No. 878

[John McCallum, Liberal, Markham—Unionville, ON]

With regard to every non-profit housing project funded under s.95 of the National Housing Act: (a) what is the name of the project; (b) what is the location of the project; (c) for each project that has a mortgage with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, and for every mortgage, what is (i) the date the mortgage was signed, (ii) the length of the mortgage, (iii) the interest rate of the mortgage?

(Return tabled)

Question No. 882

[Chris Charlton, NDP, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

With regard to Service Canada: (a) which administrative and processing functions will be consolidated; (b) where are the Service Canada centres located where administration of grants and contributions are currently taking place, and how many employees at each centre work on the administration of grants and contributions; (c) where will the consolidated centres for administration of grants and contributions be located, and how many employees are expected to be working on administration of grants and contributions at each consolidated centre; (d) where are the Service Canada centres located where Integrity Services currently operate, and how many employees at each centre work in Integrity Services; and (e) where will the consolidated centres for Integrity Services be located, and how many employees are expected to be working in Integrity Services at each consolidated centre?

(Return tabled)

Question No. 884

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

With regard to the Summit of the Americas: (a) what is the role and what are the responsibilities of Canada regarding the official languages of the Summit and the official languages of the documents; (b) what are the official languages of the Summit; (c) what are the official languages of the documents; (d) how are the official languages of the Summit and the official languages of the documents determined; (e) does the Summit have language policies and, if so, what are they; (f) how much are Canada’s financial contributions to the Summit in the following areas, (i) total financial contribution, (ii) language, (iii) the French language, (iv) the English language, (v) translation and interpretation; (g) why are all official documents of the Summit process not available in French; and (h) why is there not a French version of the Summit website?

(Return tabled)

Question No. 888

[Glenn Thibeault, NDP, Sudbury, ON]

With regard to Health Canada's Consumer Product Safety Directorate, since 2005-2006 broken down by fiscal year: (a) what is the annual budget of the Directorate; (b) how many full-time, part-time and contract employees worked at or for the Directorate; (c) of these, how many were classified as administrative staff; (d) how many were classified as inspectors; (e) how many were classified as managerial staff; (f) how many were classified as media and communications staff; (g) how many distinct office locations does the Directorate maintain; and (h) how many employees are stationed at each individual location?

(Return tabled)

Question No. 891

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

With regard to specified risk material (SRM): (a) what are the average additional costs assumed by companies subject to SRM requirements; (b) what are the rules for foreign companies, including those in the United States, with regard to SRM; (c) why do rules for imports differ from those for Canadian companies; and (d) does the government have mitigation strategies in place to create a more equitable market for Canadian companies in relation to their international counterparts?

(Return tabled)

Question No. 892

[Scott Andrews, Liberal, Avalon, NL]

With regard to Department of Fisheries and Oceans officials who work at the 200 Kent Street office in Ottawa and who met with Mr. Loyola Sullivan of Ocean Choice International from June 1, 2011, to May 10, 2012: (a) what are the names of the officials, broken down by (i) deputy ministers, (ii) associate deputy ministers, (iii) senior assistant deputy ministers, (iv) assistant deputy ministers, (v) directors, (vi) managers; (b) what is the functioning title of the officials in (a); and (c) what were the (i) date of the meetings, (ii) location of the meetings, (iii) topics discussed, (iv) details of any briefing notes or materials prepared or used for the meetings?

(Return tabled)

Questions Passed as Orders for Returns

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I ask that the remaining questions be allowed to stand.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Is it agreed?