Government Operations committee  Thank you, Minister. The only thing I'd add is that the starting point for this is around creating horizontal or more collaborative infrastructure that basically treats the laboratory space as a horizontal government-wide asset, as opposed to department by department. We're look

Government Operations committee  The National Research Council—

Government Operations committee  It's based on the current year authorities. Correct me if I'm wrong, Mr. Muldoon. Yes, we have that right. Basically, we take our estimates in terms of what we have asked for to date from Parliament—so not spent but to date.

Government Operations committee  There are general guidelines out there to departments about how to plan. Where it gets different is that some departments have very lumpy expenditures. They're not always evenly spread so you have to factor that in.

Government Operations committee  Just to be blunt, Mr. Chair, the design around Berlin and JSS is more mature than the other ships. So that was the crux of the reordering.

Government Operations committee  There's a need for ships for both clients, Mr. Chair. It was a matter of how you get ships produced in the fastest way possible. By focusing on the JSS with the more mature design, early blocks already started, it just was a more logical flow.

Government Operations committee  In terms of the costs around a second interim ship, it's better for defence to answer them, but there are costs around them.

Government Operations committee  The two go together. If you're looking at trying to solve a timing problem, you have to look at costs, and the costs weren't worth the investment.

Government Operations committee  Mr. Chair, maybe I could start and then kick it to my colleague André to correct me when I misspeak. In terms of defence procurement the minister did highlight, as you've mentioned, the ships and news around jets. The next large procurement coming up is around future air crew t

Government Operations committee  It should be slide—

Government Operations committee  That should be page 5, yes, mes excuses. In terms of the interim estimates, the money the department needs to kick-start the upcoming fiscal year, it's a formulaic approach. We basically take the authorities for the current fiscal year and ask for a fraction of those. For our op

Government Operations committee  Those factors are documented, indeed, in the documents that are out there—things like the role of the supplier or contractor in the offence itself, and whether it is a primary or secondary player.

Government Operations committee  Severity is in there, as well as the financial gains realized, their ability for voluntary disclosure and prior behaviour. That's a bucket of factors, but severity of offence is absolutely a factor.

Government Operations committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. We circulated a deck to all members in advance of the meeting, both I and the deputy minister from Shared Services Canada, just to situate the hearing on estimates. You have three things in front of you: the plan for 2017-18, which seems like a long time a

Government Operations committee  The ADM responsible is a lady named Johanne Bray. It's been delegated to her by the minister.