Government Operations committee  That's correct.

Government Operations committee  We can be quite confident that the operating budget freeze will control operating spending. We are setting the bar, essentially, in this current fiscal year, 2010-11, and then freezing for the next two years. Since departments have to respect their program or operating votes and

Government Operations committee  I'll give a quick response to Madame Bourgeois. What my colleague Ms. Santiago was explaining is that when we don't need the funds for a particular program, which may reflect just a drop-off in demand, that helps us reduce the overall requirements for appropriations. When we co

Government Operations committee  I might turn to my colleagues for some more detail to answer your question. Yes, it is normal that we write off unrecoverable student loan debts. Eight out of ten borrowers do repay on time and with very few difficulties. For those who have difficulties, there are a range of th

Government Operations committee  Perhaps I can turn to one of my colleagues, Sally Thornton.

Government Operations committee  No, that is the $300 million.

Government Operations committee  That is it—it's one in the same.

Government Operations committee  Well, not exactly. As you heard from the deputies you brought before the committee, each deputy, as the accounting officer for their department, has the flexibility to determine how the savings will be achieved. So they may want to continue to hire in some cases or refrain from h

Government Operations committee  First, just let me mention that the $10-billion reduction in main estimates that was cited is a comparison of the main estimates for this year coming, 2011-2012, with the previous year, 2010-2011. Of that, $6 billion is due to a reduction in voted spending, $4 billion in statutor

Government Operations committee  Certainly I will try. As you said, the operating budget freeze for the 2010-11 fiscal year will result in savings of $300 million. Some of the savings have been taken and essentially clawed back within the estimates, and some of the savings are due to the fact that we are not a

Government Operations committee  That's correct.

Government Operations committee  We're not asking for the additional funding to compensate departments.

Government Operations committee  The reductions have to do with the 1.5% wage increase, which departments would otherwise have been compensated for. For this 1.5% applied under the Expenditure Restraint Act, we would normally compensate departments. We're not compensating them for that. Therefore, they have to a

Government Operations committee  Thank you, Chair. I'm pleased to be here with my colleagues from Treasury Board to present the supplementary estimates (C). We'll start with that, and if you wish, we would be happy to answer any questions you may have after that. My colleagues include Christine Walker, who is

Government Operations committee  I think that may be--