Government Operations committee  I think it's an option, a viable one. I don't think it's any different from today, because at any time you could call a department to speak and answer about a specific program that is of interest to you. You could, for instance, hear from our colleagues on real property or acquis

Government Operations committee  I think you would want to take that question to the Treasury Board Secretariat in terms of the decision-making on the timing of the budget's tabling. As I mentioned, it's not prescribed, according to my knowledge.

Government Operations committee  You could. You could add a column about the actuals. Now, I doubt it's available at the time of the main estimates, because the main estimates are provided in the fall based on the ARLU. That's what is submitted to Treasury Board. At the same time, the public accounts, which refl

Government Operations committee  If you do analyses and connect the dots, all the information is there. Yes, that's what I'm saying.

Government Operations committee  We are helping.... Sorry, I think that when the time comes for the main estimates for instance, we have no latitude as a department but to provide parliamentarians with the prescribed format, that being the amount that is reflected in the ARLU plus the Treasury Board submissions

Government Operations committee  It's one of the options, yes.

Government Operations committee  The timing is a function, again, of going back to what is to be accomplished with what information. If the vote remains on the type of spending and at the same time we're asking for program information year-over-year, on an accrual and cash basis, etc., it will take more time to

Government Operations committee  That is correct.

Government Operations committee  It is up to public servants to serve the needs of Parliament and support democracy. These exercises are prescribed and managed by central agencies to serve specific purposes. An example of these purposes is the quarterly financial reports. They are newly introduced, so we were as

Government Operations committee  Due diligence is exercised at three levels at least. At the departmental level we exercise due diligence and we connect the dots from our perspective and in terms of what parliamentarians need in various documents. It is also exercised by central agencies. And third, it's exercis

Government Operations committee  Yes it does. I don't have an analysis, but I look at this from two perspectives. From the departmental perspective we are positioned to provide information to serve parliamentarians' needs for decision-making when they need and want it. So that is not a big issue, aside from the

Government Operations committee  The process is common to all departments and is managed by Treasury Board Secretariat and central agencies. What is different is the nature of the information that exists in some departments and not in others. I'll give you an example. About 60% of PWGSC's appropriations are rev

Government Operations committee  I think the information is there to understand everything or almost everything you need to understand as parliamentarians. The question here is connecting the dots and doing the analysis, because the information serves specific purposes. For instance, accrual information adds a f

Government Operations committee  I believe there are at least two possible types of control. What matters most to Parliament? Is it control in terms of expenditures or the programs themselves? So far, the voting is done by expenditure type or the form of the funds. Is it capital? Is it operations, contributions

Government Operations committee  I am not suggesting overhauling the current process, because it does exist for a reason. However, the information, as it is currently presented, is intended to give two perspectives, the form of the funds or type of expenditure, and the program information. When both are presente