Government Operations committee  I would simply make a clarification. The figures you mentioned included significant support in 2021‑22 for the response to COVID‑19. Now, Heritage Canada and other organizations are no longer providing that support. That's why there is such a significant decrease.

Government Operations committee  Maybe I will start. For the benefit you are referring to, my colleague Marie-Chantal can add on. As we said, it is clearly indicated in budget 2023 that the Canadian Armed Forces will be excluded from the spending review. When we developed the methodology, we excluded them.

Government Operations committee  Are you referring to the efficiencies of spending review?

Government Operations committee  We are looking at elements that will remove duplication, for sure, or maybe programs that are not giving the outcomes we were expecting. As I was saying at the beginning, we have received a lot of proposals from the departments that have been included in the review, and we are do

Government Operations committee  The implementation will follow what was included in budget 2023. The first charge was the $500 million that we have seen in supplementary estimates (B). The second charge will be included in the main estimates when the President of the Treasury Board tables them on or before Marc

Government Operations committee  Thank you for your question. I will start with the $190 million. Allocations from Treasury Board vote 5 are used to supplement other appropriations or grant authorities to address what we call urgent, unforeseen and unavoidable cash requirements of organizations. The $190 mill

Government Operations committee  It is in the supplementary estimates (B) you have in front of you. When they are approved by the House and the Senate and receive royal assent, the money will be given to the department.

Government Operations committee  I will need to follow up on this. I don't have the answer, but we'll come back to you in writing.

Government Operations committee  Vote 5 is for emergencies. That means the department doesn't have the cash at hand in order to pay for it. Once they receive supply—after it receives royal assent—they will have money. It's like a line of credit. We're giving them money and, once the supply has been approved and

Government Operations committee  It's totally separate money.

Government Operations committee  We are, as we speak, looking at all the proposals that we have received from the 80 scoped-in departments. We're doing the analysis as we speak. Again, we have until March, because when the president tables the main estimates, she will show in those estimates a reduction as per t

Government Operations committee  Thank you for the question. I would start with the refocusing of government spending. The budget wording was clear that the Canadian Armed Forces would be excluded from the review. It has been excluded from the review, and also relocation and operating costs for them. In terms

Government Operations committee  I will go back to refocusing government spending. As you heard from the minister, in the supplementary estimates (B), we have a reduction of about $350 million. That amount will increase to $1.5 billion next year when the minister tables the main estimates, and that amount will b

Government Operations committee  That's correct. The word “ongoing” means that the decrease will be permanent.

Government Operations committee  Thank you for that question. Refocusing government spending was first announced in budget 2022 and was reannounced with bigger amounts in budget 2023. The wording from the budget is to reduce discretionary spending in terms of professional services by roughly 15% and to do the s