Part 5  Office Accommodation and Supplies

5.1  Office Accommodation

5.1.1  Introduction

Ministers and Ministers of State have offices on Parliament Hill as well as constituency offices which are both administered under the House of Commons guidelines and budgets and are completely separate from departmental headquarters offices and Ministers' regional offices which are outlined below.

The entitlements related to being a member of the House of Commons are explained in detail in the Member's Manual of Allowances and Services published by the House of Commons and questions related to these entitlements should be referred to the Comptroller's Office, House of Commons.

5.1.2  Departmental Headquarters Offices

Office requirements of Ministers or Ministers of State in the department's headquarters are normally accommodated within the space allocated to the department. The Ministers' or Ministers' of State requirements are normally co-ordinated by the Deputy Minister.

Public Works and Government Services Canada in consultation with the Departmental Facilities Management Group is responsible for initial fit-up of this space based on the functional and operational requirements and applicable cost guidelines. Changes to existing offices (during a Minister's or Minister's of State tenure or on appointment of a new Minister or Minister of State) are funded by the department.

5.1.3  Ministers' Regional Offices (MROs)

Ministers' Regional Offices have been established for the use of all local and visiting Ministers, Ministers of State, and their officials in conducting government business in regions. These offices are not intended to duplicate the functions of the constituency offices and other support provided by the House of Commons.

Public Works and Government Services Canada is responsible for the establishment and operation of the Ministers' Regional Offices including rent, fit-up, parking, etc.

Ministers' Regional Offices are operating in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Regina, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City, Halifax, Moncton, and St. John's. Therefore, the establishment of an individual Ministerial office outside the headquarters area requires specific approval by the Treasury Board prior to project initiation.

Ministers' offices are charged half of the fixed overhead costs of operating Regional Offices.

Ministers and Ministers of State are responsible for funding the direct cost (such as hospitality, additional services and accommodation) of their use of the MROs.

5.2  Office Furniture and Furnishings

5.2.1  Departmental Headquarters Offices

Office furniture and furnishings for a Minister's or Minister's of State personal office is not subject to the provisions of the Treasury Board Policy. As well, the furniture for the Minister's private secretary, who would generally be located within the Minister's ante room and waiting area, is not subject to the Treasury Board Policy. However, the offices of Ministers' staff located in premises occupied by the department are subject to the provisions of the Treasury Board Policy - Materiel Management, (Furniture and Furnishings), which can be found at internet address: http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/Pubs_pol/dcgpubs/MaterielManage/siglist-eng.asp.

The Department of Public Works and Government Services Act gives the Minister of Public Works and Government Services the mandate to acquire materiel for departments and thus the Act's provisions apply regardless of who uses the furniture and furnishings.

The department funds the acquisition of office furniture, fixtures and equipment, and their operation and maintenance costs.

5.2.2  Ministers' Regional Offices

These offices are subject to the provisions of the Treasury Board Policy in terms of office furniture and furnishings.

As a rule, all furniture and furnishings purchases are considered overhead or common costs which are then recovered through the quarterly cost recovery exercise using the formula of: total costs ÷ 24 major departments.

5.3  Office Equipment and Supplies

The Treasury Board Materiel Management Policy, applies to general office equipment and supplies for Ministers' and Ministers' of State departmental offices. Letterhead and stationery is covered by the Federal Identity Program.

Minister's and Minister's of State staff should refer to the House of Commons Members Allowance and Services Manual which would outline in detail the equipment standards and services required to facilitate House of Commons operations.

5.4  Stationery and printed media

5.4.1  Federal Identity Program

The Federal Identity Program (FIP) is the Government of Canada's corporate identity program. The Government of Canada has an obligation to make evident to Canadians, wherever they reside, how their taxes are used to provide programs, services and infrastructure. The government must project a consistent and coherent presence and identity to ensure that Canadians recognize, at a glance, their government at work for them. The Treasury Board Secretariat Federal Identity Program (FIP) establishes standards and requirements for managing the government's corporate identity. In 1998, Treasury Board ministers established nine additional FIP requirements aimed at strengthening the presence and visibility of the Government of Canada in all of its activities.

Each institution is responsible for managing its own corporate identity in compliance with the Federal Identity Program and policy, and related Treasury Board decisions This information and the FIP design standards are available at http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pubs_pol/sipubs/tb_fip/fip-pcim2-eng.asp.

Ministers and Ministers of State are required to write to the President of the Treasury Board on all matters related to establishing titles of institutions. Institutions must adopt an approved title (referred to as applied title) for their corporate signature, and use this title consistently when identifying the institution, except when there is a specific requirement for the legal title. Ministers must also write to the President regarding government-wide use of special symbols, decisions on FIP symbols (flag symbol or Coat of Arms) in corporate signatures, and for exemptions from the FIP policy.

5.4.2  Stationery

The design of Ministers' and Ministers' of State offices stationery is subject to the Federal Identity Program policy and design standards. The present design consists of a 40 per cent screened black Coat of Arms, black text and a black "Canada" wordmark with red flag, printed on white, recycled permanent paper. Further information is available at http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/fip-pcim/man_2_1-eng.asp. 

5.4.3  News Releases and Kit Folders

Institutions must use the standard news release form and information kit folder. The Government of Canada's "no frills" publishing guidelines, call for streamlined government publishing and a common look for various communications products. The "no frills" guidelines are available at the following internet address: http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/Pubs_pol/ciopubs/TB_CP/nofrills-eng.asp .

5.5  Telephones

Order in Council P.C. 1963.27/1260 allows Ministers and either their Chief of Staff or their Private Secretary to a private telephone paid for by public funds, given that these persons deal with government business beyond normal working hours. Ministers exercise this privilege in any one of the following locations: their constituency residence; their country residence; or their National Capital Region residence. Chiefs of Staff or Private Secretaries may have a telephone installed in either their National Capital Region residence or their country residence.

Ministers also receive codes giving them access to the government's cross-country telephone facilities from anywhere in Canada. Only the person assigned the authorization code is authorized to use it or should know what it is.

Special-purpose equipment may be available from the department to meet operational requirements, if the need for it can be justified and documented.