ARCHIVED - 2009-10 - Main Estimates

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Parliament

The Senate
House of Commons
Library of Parliament
Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
Senate Ethics Officer

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Ministry Summary

Vote	(thousands of dollars)	2009–10	2008–09	Difference
		Main Estimates	Main Estimates
	Parliament
	The Senate
1	Program expenditures	58,659	58,467	192
(S)	Contributions to employee benefit plans	6,602	6,717	(115)
(S)	Officers and Members of the Senate – Salaries, allowances
	and other payments to the Speaker of the Senate,
	Members and other officers of the Senate under
	the Parliament of Canada Act ; contributions to the
	Members of Parliament Retiring Allowances Account
	and Members of Parliament Retirement Compensation
	Arrangements Account	25,345	25,048	297
	Total Agency	90,606	90,232	374
	House of Commons
5	Program expenditures	283,524	. . . . .	283,524
(S)	Contributions to employee benefit plans	34,808	34,944	(136)
(S)	Members of the House of Commons – Salaries and
	allowances of Officers and Members of the House of
	Commons under the Parliament of Canada Act and
	contributions to the Members of Parliament Retiring
	Allowances Account and the Members of Parliament
	Retirement Compensation Arrangements Account	108,209	113,014	(4,805)
	Appropriations not required
–	Operating expenditures	. . . . .	269,001	(269,001)
–	Capital expenditures	. . . . .	8,093	(8,093)
	Total Agency	426,541	425,052	1,489
	Library of Parliament
10	Program expenditures	35,649	34,971	678
(S)	Contributions to employee benefit plans	4,658	4,721	(63)
	Total Agency	40,307	39,692	615
	Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics
	Commissioner
15	Program expenditures	6,338	6,338	. . . . .
(S)	Contributions to employee benefit plans	767	790	(23)
	Total Agency	7,105	7,128	(23)
	Senate Ethics Officer
20	Program expenditures	704	689	15
(S)	Contributions to employee benefit plans	102	102	. . . . .
	Total Agency	806	791	15

Note: Details may not add to totals due to rounding.

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The Senate

Strategic Outcome

To enable the Senate to carry out its constitutional role and to administer the affairs of the Senate.

Program Activity Descriptions

Senators and their Offices

Provides Senators with the statutory services set out in the Parliament of Canada Act and the Members of Parliament Retiring Allowances Act . Operating costs of Senators’ offices are provided in accordance with established policies and guidelines. Costs included under these two categories are: Senators’ sessional indemnities and allowances as well as contributions to the Senators’ pension plan; retiring allowances; travel and communication expenses; Senators’ research and office expenses, including staff costs and the cost of goods and services incurred for the operations of Senators’ offices; and Caucus research funds.

Administrative Support

Provide the on-going support services required for the effective, efficient and economical delivery of operating programs outlined under the other three program activities of the Senate. Administrative Support provides accommodation and other facilities and tools, information, goods and services, and expert advice on all aspects of operations. Costs included in this program activity are: financial services and materiel management; human resources; protective services; communications and information services; information technology management; accommodation planning, maintenance and upkeep of premises; postal, messenger and printing services; and repairs, trades and transportation services.

Committees and Associations

Provide support for the work of Senators on standing, special and joint committees. Committees are delegated the task of conducting in-depth studies of bills and approving or amending legislation based on testimony from expert witnesses and advice and counsel from legal experts. They investigate policy matters and make recommendations as well as examine the Government’s spending proposals. Senators also participate in parliamentary associations and friendship groups, representing Canada in international forums where issues of importance to Canadians are discussed. Costs included under this program activity are: committees and parliamentary associations; reporting of debates and publications service; and broadcasting committee proceedings.

Chamber Operations

Provide the support and services Senators require for their work in the Senate Chamber, which includes debate and approval of legislation, presentation of petitions, discussion of Committee reports and ceremonial events. These functions are carried out in accordance with the Rules of the Senate, parliamentary procedure and precedents and the Speaker’s rulings. Costs included under this program activity are: salaries for additional duties of the Officers of the Senate; staff costs and the costs of operating the offices of Officers of the Senate; salaries and other operating expenses of the Clerk of the Senate, Deputy Clerk, Parliamentary Counsel and Usher of the Black Rod; journals, reporting of debates and publications service in both official languages; Senate Pages; and parliamentary exchanges.

Program by Activities

(thousands of dollars)		2009–10 Main Estimates				2008–09
		Budgetary			Total	Main Estimates
	Operating	Capital	Grants	Contributions
				and other
				transfer
				payments
Senators and their Offices	39,838	419	167	. . . . .	40,424	39,902
Administrative Support	30,771	1,591	. . . . .	. . . . .	32,362	31,918
Committees and Associations	11,353	. . . . .	. . . . .	380	11,733	12,133
Chamber Operations	6,086	. . . . .	. . . . .	. . . . .	6,086	6,279
	88,049	2,010	167	380	90,606	90,232

 

Note: Details may not add to totals due to rounding.

Transfer Payments

(dollars)	2009–10	2008–09
	Main Estimates	Main Estimates
Grants
(S) Pensions to retired Senators (R.S., 1985 c. M-5)	167,000	167,000
Total grants	167,000	167,000
Contributions
Contributions to Parliamentary Associations	380,000	380,000
Total contributions	380,000	380,000
Total	547,000	547,000

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House of Commons

Strategic Outcome

Effective administrative and professional support of Members, both individually and collectively, in their roles as legislators and representatives of 308 constituencies, in the Chamber, in committee and in Caucus.

Program Activity Descriptions

Members and House Officers

Members assume the roles of legislators and elected representatives of their constituency. In their constituencies, Members participate in events and activities and discuss with constituents about their concerns. In the Chamber, Members participate in debates, study and vote on legislation. Members sit on standing committees and special or joint committees, since the House of Commons delegates in-depth consideration of bills and the thorough scrutiny of the government’s programs and policies to its committees. Members also participate in parliamentary associations and interparliamentary groups, and are members of delegations in parliamentary exchanges. Finally, in caucus, Members develop strategy, discuss policy and examine important issues with fellow party members, and direct the work of party research offices. Some Members also assume additional functions such as: the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, House Leaders and Chief Whips.

House Administration

House employees are responsible for providing services to the Members elected during a Parliament, and in addition, serve the House as an institution on a permanent basis by providing: continuity from one Parliament to another; access to parliamentary records; and a stable infrastructure to support Members in the democratic process. Advice and support are provided in a wide variety of services such as: procedural, legislative, legal, information technology and management, building management, security, food, finance, human resources, health and safety. The staff of the House of Commons strives to support the institution and the members in their roles as legislators and representatives of 308 constituencies, in the Chamber, in committee and in Caucus.

Program by Activities

(thousands of dollars)		2009–10 Main Estimates			2008–09
		Budgetary		Total	Main Estimates
	Operating	Contributions	Less:
		and other	Revenues
		transfer	credited
		payments	to the vote
Members and House Officers	248,326	. . . . .	. . . . .	248,326	252,359
House Administration	178,148	940	873	178,215	172,693
	426,474	940	873	426,541	425,052

Note: Details may not add to totals due to rounding.

Transfer Payments

(dollars)	2009–10	2008–09
	Main Estimates	Main Estimates
Contributions
Payments to Parliamentary and Procedural Associations	940,055	940,055
Total contributions	940,055	940,055

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Library of Parliament

Strategic Outcome

Parliamentarians make informed decisions on issues of concern to Canadians.

Program Activity Descriptions

Information, Research and Analysis

To provide parliamentarians with information, research and analysis services that will help them fulfil their roles as Members of one or other House, committees and parliamentary associations, and as the representatives of a region or riding. Information is also made available to authorized clients.

Strategic Outcome

Institutional memory of Parliament is preserved for future generations.

Program Activity Descriptions

Information Resource Management

To design, develop, maintain and promote a varied collection of sources of knowledge, thereby enabling parliamentarians and those who assist them in their work to obtain the information they need.

Strategic Outcome

Canadians gain a better understanding of Parliament.

Program Activity Descriptions

Public Outreach

To support parliamentarians in their efforts to make Parliament accessible to the public. To provide the public with information about Parliament.

Strategic Outcome

The following program activity supports all strategic outcomes within this organization.

Program Activity Descriptions

Internal Services

Internal Services are groups of related activities and resources that are administered to support the needs of programs and other corporate obligations of an organization. These groups are: Management and Oversight Services; Communications Services; Legal Services; Human Resources Management Services; Financial Management Services; Information Management Services; Information Technology Services; Real Property Services; Materiel Services; Acquisition Services; and Travel and Other Administrative Services. Internal Services include only those activities and resources that apply across an organization and not to those provided specifically to a program.

Program by Activities

(thousands of dollars)		2009–10 Main Estimates			2008–09
		Budgetary		Total	Main Estimates
	Operating	Capital	Less:
			Revenues
			credited
			to the vote
Information, Research and Analysis	17,484	302	. . . . .	17,786	24,856
Internal Services	12,189	243	. . . . .	12,432	. . . . .
Information Resource Management	7,663	159	. . . . .	7,822	11,115
Public Outreach	3,220	46	1,000	2,266	3,721
	40,557	750	1,000	40,307	39,692

Note: Details may not add to totals due to rounding.  

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Office of the Conflict of Interest and Commissioner

Strategic Outcome

The public can feel confident that public office holders and MPs are meeting the requirements of the conflict of interest compliance measures.

Administration of the Conflict of Interest Act and the Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of Commons The Commissioner provides confidential advice to Public Office Holders (POHs) and MPs about how to comply with the Conflict of Interest Act and the MP’s Code respectively. She is also mandated to provide confidential advice to the Prime Minister about conflict of interest and ethics issues. The Commissioner may conduct an inquiry into whether a MP has contravened the Code or a present or former POH has breached the Act. This program activity benefits Canadians by minimizing the possibility of conflicts arising between the private interests and public duties of POHs and MPs and provide for the resolution of those conflicts in the public interest should they arise.

Strategic Outcome

The following program activity supports all strategic outcomes within this organization.

Program Activity Descriptions

Internal Services

Internal Services are groups of related activities and resources that are administered to support the needs of programs and other corporate obligations of an organization. These groups are: Management and Oversight Services; Communications Services; Legal Services; Human Resources Management Services; Financial Management Services; Information Management Services; Information Technology Services; Real Property Services; Materiel Services; Acquisition Services; and Travel and Other Administrative Services. Internal Services include only those activities and resources that apply across an organization and not to those provided specifically to a program.

Program by Activities

(thousands of dollars)	2009–10 Main Estimates		2008–09
	Budgetary	Total	Main
	Operating		Estimates
Administration of the Conflict of Interest Act and the
Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of
Commons	4,812	4,812	6,051
Internal Services	2,294	2,294	. . . . .
Inquiries	. . . . .	. . . . .	1,077
	7,105	7,105	7,128

Notes: Details may not add to totals due to rounding.

The 2008-09 funding associated with the program activity “Operations” in the 2008-09 Main Estimates is displayed under the new program activity entitled “Administration of the Conflict of Interest Act and the Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of Commons”.

Effective in 2009-10 funding associated with the program activity “Inquiry” is included in the new program activity entitled “Administration of the Conflict of Interest Act and the Conflict of Interest Code for members of the House of Commons”.

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Senate Ethics Officer

Strategic Outcome

Senators meet their obligations under the Conflict of Interest Code in a manner that contributes to the integrity of the Senate as an institution.

Program Activity Descriptions

Administration

The mandate of the Senate Ethics Officer is to administer and interpret the Code for Senators that sets out standards of conduct for Members of the Senate. The primary functions of the Senate Ethics Officer are:

• to provide confidential opinions and advice on any matter respecting Senators’ obligations under the Code;
• to review confidential annual disclosure statements (listing sources of income, assets, liabilities, government contracts, financial and other interests), advise Senators on possible conflicts and compliance measures, and prepare public disclosure summaries;
• to conduct inquiries and investigations, if necessary, regarding compliance with the Code.

Program by Activities

(thousands of dollars)	2009–10 Main Estimates		2008–09
	Budgetary	Total	Main
	Operating		Estimates
Administration	806	806	791
	806	806	791

Note: Details may not add to totals due to rounding.

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